Cover image courtesy of Darley
All three stallions will stand at Darley's New South Wales base at Kelvinside in the 2022 season.
Bren O'Brien: Alastair, it’s apparent from these announcements, and the other stallions that Darley has shuttled to Australia in recent years, that Darley is really intent on giving Australian breeders access to these globally significant stallions, with globally significant bloodlines?
Alastair Pulford: The Northern Hemisphere racing team has had a wonderful last few years, so those opportunities have presented themselves. We are fortunate that so many of them are by stallions or from female lines with credentials that Australians can easily relate to.
Alastair Pulford | Image courtesy of Darley
They have been easy decisions to make to give these horses a go down here. We know very well that the shuttle horses we have brought down have added significantly to the Australian bred overall. You only have to look at Winx (by Street Cry) as the shining example of that. There are so many others as well. It’s an important part of our business but it is also an important part of the whole Australian landscape.
BO'B: Palace Pier, who debuts at $55,000 (inc GST) was just an out-and-out star on the track, wasn't he, and he becomes just the second son of Kingman to stand in Australia?
AP: In terms of milers, he is as good as they get. He is a five-time Group 1 winner, by Kingman, who looks to be one of the up-and-coming sires of England and Europe. He was an expensive yearling who is a great-looking horse. He's got quality and he has it in spades.
I Am Invincible is the best Australian son of Invincible Spirit and for Kingman this is his best Northern Hemisphere son. Everyone that has seen Kingman, would say he is as nice a looking horse as they have ever seen. He's a beautiful horse and Palace Pier, like his father is also extremely good-looking.
Palace Pier (GB), new to the Darley roster in 2022 | Image courtesy of Darley
They often say the best milers make the best sires. He's a very high-class horse. He was two from two as a 2-year-old, winning by wide margins. He came back at three, was dominant and he bounced quickly into Group 1 company. He announced himself to the world when he beat Pinatubo in the St James's Palace S. and that really announced him to the world.
BO'B: Victor Ludorum was a Group 1 winner at two and three for André Fabre and debuts at $24,750 (inc GST). The son of Shamardal brings a slightly different profile to Australia, doesn't he?
AP: I really like this horse. He is very typical of Shamardal. He is by Shamardal from Shamardal's family and is in-bred to Helen Street. Helen Street's contribution to Australian racing has been Street Cry and Shamardal.
He (Victor Ludorum) won the same sort of races as his sire. Both were unbeaten champion 2-year-olds, they both won the French 2000 Guineas and both were very high-class horses.
Victor Ludorum (GB), new to the Darley roster in 2022 | Image courtesy of Darley
I really like the profile this horse presents. He has a really good chance. He's a typical Shamardal in that he has got style and he has got substance. He's a horse that people will like when they see him. He's got size, substance and girth. He moved well. He's very much his father's son.
BO'B: Pinatubo was due to come out to Australia last year before injury stopped that from happening. You would have got a pretty good indication of his popularity and people's excitement for him coming out here ahead of his debut at $55,000 (inc GST) in 2022?
AP: Pinatubo was the pin-up horse for last year, and unfortunately he had an eye injury which prevented him travelling. He is fine now and he's got foals on the ground in the Northern Hemisphere. He is a lovely horse. A different type of Shamardal. He's a bit lower to the ground. He's very, very strong, very much a sprinter and he has got a lovely head on him. A very attractive, quality horse. People, when they see him, are going to want to book another mare to him.
Pinatubo (Ire), new to the Darley roster in 2022 | Image courtesy of Darley
He was as good a 2-year-old as they have seen in the last 25 years or so. He's highly regarded in the Northern Hemisphere. We were knocked over with enquiry and interest in him last year before he was unable to make it, so we start him this season, where I'm sure there will be a queue for him.
BO'B: How do you guys go about sorting out service fees for these international horses? These European horses must be a little bit more tricky as to where they sit in the market?
AP: I probably think the European shuttle horses come in here at a discount price. That's been borne out in the last few seasons. The acceptance of these horses, both in the sales ring, but in terms of the success they are having on the racetrack, has been very strong,
These horses provide a fantastic opportunity to Australian breeders. Pricing them is never easy, but I think we price them very conservatively and everyone can get a good crack at them, and get the opportunity to make money in the sales ring and most importantly breed a decent horse.
