Snitzel’s Rare Champion Sire Feat
Acknowledge: ‘Australian Thoroughbred’ compiled by Brian Russell; September 2020
Featured Image: ‘Snitzel’ at Arrowfield
I/we wish for Brian a very happy 90th birthday celebration on Sunday 20th September 2020 before his actual birthday one day later (Monday 21st September 2020). Brian has always had very good ‘gate speed’ out of the barrier in the thoroughbred information stakes!
When Arrowfield Stud’s superstar sire Snitzel captured the Champion Australian sire’s title for 2019-20, he became only the second locally bred stallion since the records began in1883-84 to claim the honour in four successive years.
The only local stallion to perform this feat previously had been the Arrowfield Stud (now Coolmore) product Heroic. Standing at Herbert Thompson’s Tarwyn Park Stud, Bylong, Heroic earned the top Australian sire honour not only in his first four seasons of representation, 1932-33, 33-34, 34-35 and 35-36, but went on to be the leading sire for seven successive seasons, a record that stood until the golden era of Danehill (USA).
Initially used here thirty years ago in a partnership with John Messara at ‘Arrowfield’, then at Jerrys Plains HV, but now Segenhoe Valley, Scone, and Ireland headquartered ‘Coolmore’, dual hemisphere used Danehill was champion sire nine times,1994-95,1995-96 and 1996-97 and then in six successive years,1999-2005.
One of the most pre-potent sires in Australian history, Danehill has elevated Australian breeding to world class level, much of it through Arrowfield contribution. In particular, four times champion Australian sire Snitzel is a grandson in male line through Redoubte’s Choice, three times champion Australian sire from use at Arrowfield. They bred the Golden Slipper winners Danzero and Flying Spur respectively, in each of Danehill’s first two crops and met with considerable success with each of them from use in their Segenhoe Valley stallion yards.
Continue reading →