Cover image courtesy of Valachi Downs Stud
By Bren O'Brien
The start of August is traditionally a time of arrivals at studs in Australia and New Zealand, and that is very much the theme for Valachi Downs this week, who will welcome two G1 July Cup winners on the farm this Thursday, U S Navy Flag (USA) and Ten Sovereigns (Ire), just days after the arrival of the former's first Southern Hemisphere foal.
U S Navy Flag, a triple Group 1 winner for Coolmore and Aidan O'Brien, served his first book of 150 mares at the Matamata-based farm last season, and ahead of his return to New Zealand this week, a colt out of Parmalove (Snitzel) arrived in the early hours of Monday morning at Riversdale Farm in the Hunter Valley.
While it may have occurred on the opposite side of the Tasman, the arrival is nonetheless a milestone for Valachi Downs
"We're delighted and the feedback has been very positive, both from the breeder here and from Nick Hodges over there. Plenty of size and bone, and he got up and got going quickly, which is all you can ask for," Valachi Downs General Manager Gareth Downey said.
Riversdale owner Nick Hodges said the colt, whose dam is a half-sister to stakes winners Loved Up (Nicconi) and Liesele (Exceed And Excel), had made a strong early impression.
“The U S Navy Flag – Parmalove foal born around 2.30am this morning is a very nice foal,” he said. “He has good bone and size. He was straight up and on the suck quickly, which is what we like to see. We look forward to seeing how he develops.”
With a big book of mares in his first crop, 26 of which are located on Valachi Downs, there will be plenty of opportunity to assess the stamp the son of War Front (USA) makes on his progeny.
Reports from Ireland from his first Northern Hemisphere crop certainly give Downey plenty of cause for optimism.
"All we can go off is what has happened up in Ireland and we have had a heck of a lot of positive feedback from breeders up there about the type of foal he left," he said.
"All we can go off is what has happened up in Ireland and we have had a heck of a lot of positive feedback from breeders up there about the type of foal he left." - Gareth Downey
"Indicative of that is that he served more mares in his second year than he did in his first. I think he had 114 in the first year and 135 in the second and to achieve that, all comes down to having nice foals. They were very positive about them up there and therefore we are hoping to see the same down here, hopefully."
Among those to offer their praise for U S Navy Flag's first Northern Hemisphere foals has been none other than Aidan O'Brien. He and wife Anne Marie bred a filly from the Fastnet Rock mare Far Fetched (Ire).
"She is a smashing filly with a lovely head and she is very much in the mould of her sire,” he said.
Downey said that with the current breeding season occurring under the global economic uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, breeders haven't been as quick to commit to stallions in 2020, but he expected another strong book on both quality and quantity at U S Navy Flag's price of $17,500 (+ GST).
"It's hard to know in terms of numbers because it feels like a very different season compared to last year. Breeders are taking their time to book and people seem to have plenty on their plate other than figuring out who to send their mare too," he said.
"So far, the flow-on bookings to him have been very good as to what we might expect. Once people see their foals from last year coming out looking as good as they hoped, we expect them to back up again."
Given the significant impact on global travel from the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be a sense of relief when U S Navy Flag and Ten Sovereigns board the plane after quarantining in Melbourne.
"They fly across here this Thursday and get in early on August 6," he said.
"U S Navy Flag was a great horse to have around and we are looking forward to having him back. He was very straightforward. He was positively received by New Zealand breeders. We are looking forward to getting him back on the farm."
Ten Sovereigns (Ire) | Standing at Valachi Downs Stud
Ten Sovereigns, the dual Group 1-winning son of No Nay Never (USA), who stands his first season for $20,000 (+ GST), will also be warmly welcomed.
"It's exciting to have two July Cup winners standing here. That's pretty amazing. Ten Sovereigns served big numbers at Coolmore this season in Ireland and a lot of that was apparently driven by his looks. He's a stunning individual," Downey said.
"It’s an interesting year for us, because we have not been able to fly up there and see him. We are relying on trust that the animal we get, is what we are expecting, but we’ve heard so much about what an outstanding type he is and we can't wait to see him."
The pair will stand alongside Zacinto (GB), Vespa (NZ) and Savile Row (NZ).
"There's a lot of positive feeling around here at the moment. To have a line-up like we have accumulated now, it’s exciting for us and for New Zealand breeders in general," Downey said.
