Admittedly it’s very early in the season, but if you take a look at the First Season Sires’ Premiership, you will notice that four of the top 10 are residents of Aquis Farm in Canungra, Queensland.
Brave Smash (Jpn) sits second with $131,520 to his name, Performer is third with $83,150, Lean Mean Machine is fifth with $42,700, while Santos is ninth with $6440.
“It’s been a terrific start to the season, to have all four of the first-season stallions kick off with winners in just four weeks of 2-year-old racing… it’s been the dream start, really,” Aquis Farm’s Director of Sales, Jonathan Davies, told TDN AusNZ.
“It’s always an exciting time of the year when you’ve got first-season sires with runners and it’s great to see the breeders that supported these horses be rewarded; they not only supported them in their first season, but in their second, too; they have yearlings to sell in the new year. It’s great for them because they can go into the sale ring with confidence and buyers can buy the progeny with confidence knowing that they can run and have their fair share of ability.
“All four have been well supported again this season, particularly Brave Smash and Lean Mean Machine.”
“All four (stallions) have been well supported again this season, particularly Brave Smash and Lean Mean Machine.” - Jonathan Davies
Leading the way for Aquis is dual Group 1 winner Brave Smash, who stands for $22,000 (inc GST).
Brave Smash has had just the one runner to the races, that being the Sean and Jake Casey-trained 2-year-old Brave Halo, who is unbeaten in three starts.
Bred by Aquis Farm, the colt is the first winner for the winless Sebring mare Danish Bingo, a daughter of stakes winner Danedina (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), from the family of Group 2 victress Seradess (Astern).
Brave Halo winning at Ascot | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Brave Halo is raced by Wally Daly, who owned two-time Group 1 winner Vega Magic (Lope De Vega {Ire}).
The colt was a $135,000 2021 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale purchase from the Willow Park draft for Hancock Quality Bloodstock.
“He (Brave Halo) is just a ripper. He’s got a lot of fight and courage, much like his old man. He puts himself in races and seems to be getting better every time he steps out,” Davies said.
“He (Brave Halo) is just a ripper. He’s got a lot of fight and courage, much like his old man. He puts himself in races and seems to be getting better every time he steps out.” - Jonathan Davies
Brave Smash’s first crop of yearlings were well received this year, with 41 averaging close to $80,000, while his 11 yearlings sold at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale averaged $151,364.
His most expensive yearling was a colt from Bellevue Girl (Exceed And Excel) from the Rothwell Park Thoroughbreds draft, which was knocked down to Australian Bloodstock/Ciaron Maher Racing for $260,000 on the Gold Coast. He is a half-brother to the Group 3 winner Bellevue Hill, a son of Pierro, who stands at Aquis Farm for $6600 (inc GST).
Davies said there had been plenty of hype regarding Brave Smash and his progeny ahead of the new season, and Brave Halo’s achievements have only added to it.
Brave Smash (Jpn) | Standing at Aquis Farm
“Gary Portelli had a filly (Komichi) trial really well at Warwick Farm last Friday,” he said.
“Gary’s got two of them (progeny of Brave Smash) and he’s very happy with both of them.
“Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have got five Brave Smash 2-year-olds and they’ve been very happy with them.
Jonathan Davies | Image courtesy of Aquis
“I believe the colt out of Bellevue Girl is in Sydney and hopefully we see him step out publicly soon.
“There’s a lot of positive talk about the Brave Smashes and there has been for a long time. They’ve been quite forward and doing everything right. Trainers have been quite taken with them, so it’s been good to see them step out publicly and do the job.”
Performer’s progeny pack a punch
Group 3 winner Performer has had four runners and his first 2-year-old to triumph was the Les Ross-trained Mishani Maverick, who scored at the Sunshine Coast Polytrack last month. Stablemates Mishani Cruise and Mishani Star have both placed.
“Team Mishani – Mike Crooks and Les Ross – they’re very happy with the Performers, so it’s fitting they had his first winner,” said Davies.
“They’re supporting quite heavily again this season, which is always a good sign.”
Performer | Standing at Aquis
Performer’s service fee is $6600 (inc GST).
A lot to like about Lean Mean Machine
The Chris Munce-trained filly Freeman handed Group 2 victor and Group 1 placegetter Lean Mean Machine his first winner when she scored by 0.3l when on debut at Doomben last Saturday.
Named after Olympic 400-metre gold medallist, Cathy Freeman, the filly was her sire’s first runner.
Robyn Wise paid $42,500 for the filly from the Erinvale Thoroughbreds draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale, before selling her at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale a year later. There, Munce Racing/Arthur Hoyeau went to $240,000 to secure her.
Freeman winning at Doomben | Image courtesy of Michael McInally
The filly is out of the winning Not A Single Doubt mare Nashville Skyline and that mare’s grandam is Dance Gaily (USA) (Nureyev {USA}) – a half-sister to Group 3 winner Musidora (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}).
“That was a just great win, she jumped and did everything right; she was very professional,” Davies explained.
“Chris said he had a very nice horse on his hands, but he thought she was probably more of a 3-year-old type.
“She hadn’t done anything wrong and kept putting her hand up, so he took her to the races. He’s ecstatic, he said, ‘She’s a very nice filly and will only get better’.
“She (Freeman) hadn’t done anything wrong and kept putting her hand up, so he (Chris Munce) took her to the races. He’s ecstatic, he said, ‘She’s a very nice filly and will only get better’.” - Jonathan Davies
“She’s having a few days in the paddock now and will come back in for a crack at the Listed Calaway Gal on December 10.”
Munce said post-race that a tilt at the Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January may also be on the cards for Freeman.
Lean Mean Machine stands for $17,600 (inc GST).
Lean Mean Machine | Standing at Aquis Farm
Kiwi filly gets Santos on the board
At Waikato on October 22, a Santos filly named Ulanova (NZ) created a big impression, notching an impressive debut victory for Cambridge-based trainer Stephen Marsh.
Bred by Ancroft Stud, the filly was a member of the Kilgravin Lodge draft at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 1), where she was bought by Mick Wallace for $150,000.
Ulanova was Santos’ second runner.
“She looks like she must be something special, it was a great win,” Davies commented. “She showed unbelievable speed and got taken on and then held them all off. She ran great time.
“They had a big opinion of her… she won a trial by six lengths hard held.
“She definitely looks like a black-type filly.”
Santos’ fee this season is $6600 (inc GST).
Santos | Standing at Aquis Farm
Second-season sires pick up where they left off
It hasn’t just been Aquis’ first-season sires getting the job done, with second-season sires The Mission, Jukebox and Kobayashi also enjoying a fast start to 2022/23.
The Mission has five winners on the board, including Yellow Brick, who has won three on the bounce (two of them at Eagle Farm).
Jukebox has three winners this season, including the Chris Wood-trained Alfriston. She won on the synthetic track at Cambridge in September, before placing fourth in Saturday’s G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton Park.
And Kobe Lad provided Kobayashi his fifth winner of the season on Saturday when winning at the Gold Coast
Gallery: Aquis' second-season sires
“They’re all doing a great job,” Davies remarked.
“Jukebox had a horse run fourth for him in a Group 1 in New Zealand on the weekend and his stakes-winning son, Johnny Rocker, will step out for him soon and aim for some richer over the carnival.
“The Mission… he’s just such a consistent stallion. His progeny are tough, precocious and he’s perfect for the QTIS Scheme, whether you’re breeding to sell or race, I don’t there’s a better value stallion going around than him, he’s just a gem.”
