Cover image courtesy of Aquis Farm
Following the departures of Brave Smash (Jpn) to Yarraman Park, Pierata to Yulong Stud, and Santos and Divine Prophet to Highview Stud, Aquis Farm is set to introduce a new stallion to its roster.
Stronger - a handsome Group 1-winning son of the brilliant Not A Single Doubt - will stand his first season at the Canungra-based farm this spring at a fee of $13,750 (inc GST).
Not A Single Doubt | Image courtesy of Arrowfield Stud
“We’re absolutely thrilled to have secured Stronger. He has a great pedigree - he comes from a wonderful female family, he was a $1.05 million yearling, he is incredibly good-looking and he was fast. He is a neat, strong horse with a beautiful head,” Aquis Farm’s Director of Sales, Jonathan Davies, told TDN AusNZ.
“At that price point, he should prove popular with breeders.”
Stronger is one of three Group 1-winning entires by Not A Single Doubt to stand at stud, with the others being Farnan and Extreme Choice.
“To get possibly the last son of Not A Single Doubt to go to stud is very exciting for us,” Davies said.
“To get possibly the last son of Not A Single Doubt to go to stud is very exciting for us.” - Jonathan Davies
“Since Stronger went through the sale ring, Not A Single Doubt has produced 34 stakes winners of over $77 million in prizemoney, while Stronger is among nine Group 1 winners.
“Extreme Choice has already produced 14 stakes horses including three individual Group 1 winners from 68 starters, while Farnan is one of the most talked about young stallions in the country and has covered over 380 mares in two seasons at stud. We cannot wait to see Stronger follow in the footsteps of his Group 1-winning paternal brethren.”
George Moore, the bloodstock agent who sourced Stronger out of Australia for clients to race in Hong Kong, is confident Stronger has the attributes to make a successful sire.
George Moore and Lloyd Kennewell | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“With Aquis Stallions’ astute acquisition of a rare Australian 2-year-old winning son of Not A Single Doubt and a subsequent Hong Kong Group 1 winner, we have no doubt that he has all the makings of a top progressive stallion in Australia,” Moore said.
“He has the earmarks of a top stallion being a $1.05 million yearling, correct in conformation, kind in character and explosive in his race finishes.”
An impressive career
Bred by Arrowfield Stud and Planette Thoroughbred, he made $1.05 million at the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, with renowned judge James Harron buying. The colt was the lone million-dollar yearling by Not A Single Doubt to see a public auction in 2018.
Stronger is the best of three winners from the winning Starcraft (NZ) mare Star Pupil and she herself is a sister to the Listed victress Ain’tnofallenstar and a half-sister to the stakes winners Bachman (All American) and Stepitup (Hussonet {USA}).
Stronger as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
His grandam, Ain’t Seen Nothin’ (Nothin’ Leica Dane), won three times in Listed company, while other stakes winners on Stronger’s page include Bring Me The Maid (Sebring) and Polar Success (Success Express {USA}).
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained chestnut was a talented juvenile and made the perfect start to his career, winning on debut at Kembla Grange in November 2018. Later, he placed third behind Cosmic Force in the G3 Pago Pago S. at Rosehill, before taking out the G3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic on the Gold Coast at what would be his final start in Australia.
Stronger was then sold privately to George Moore Bloodstock and exported to Hong Kong. He began his career there with John Moore, before Douglas Whyte took charge.
On January 23, 2022, the Whyte-trained entire broke through at the highest level, upstaging some more fancied rivals in the G1 The Centenary Sprint Cup at Sha Tin under Vincent Ho. He beat a star-studded field that included Sky Field (Deep Field), Hot King Prawn (Denman) and Wellington (All Too Hard) - all Group 1 winners in their own right.
Stronger (yellow and black checkered silks) winning the G1 Hong Kong Jockey Club Centenary Sprint | Image courtesy of Aquis Farm
Other highlights in Asia include a close second in the G2 Sprint Cup and Group placings in the Sha Tin Vase, Bauhinia Sprint Trophy and Premier Bowl.
“Stronger was a very good juvenile, a Group 3 winner, then went on to win a Group 1 in Hong Kong, beating a very good field of sprinters. There’s no doubt the Hong Kong sprinters are among the world’s best,” Davies commented.
“He (Stronger) was a brilliantly fast horse, incredibly tough and sound; they’re great characteristics for a stallion to pass onto his progeny.”
