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.
Arrowfield also bred and stood the first class Redoute’s Choice sire Not a Single Doubt and gained more glory through the deeds of Snitzel, a sire, who by the way, has been outperformed as champion locally bred sire also by Maltster. Used at the Thompson’s Widden Stud, Widden Valley, he was at the top five times, three years 1909-10, 1910-11 and 1911-12 and, after being second 1912-13, the leader 1913-14 and 1914-15.
Snitzel, in a far more competitive era, claimed the title of champion Australian sire for 2019-20 national statistics by earnings ($17,863,769), stakes winners (18) and juveniles (winners 28, money $4,735,677). He also is the leader for Australian bred progeny racing here and NZ, HK, Sing, Malaysia, Macau and SAF, on earnings $20,926,567.
Snitzel’s imposing sire record
2019-20 NATIONAL, 175 winners (15 SW, 28 2yos), 264 wins, $17,863,769. SOUTH HEM: 201 winners (18 SWs, 29 2yos), 302 wins, $20,926,567.
2018-19 NATIONAL, 180 winners (12 SWs, 24 2yos), 290 wins, $24,253,655. SOUTH HEM: 205 winners (13 SW, 25 2yos), 331 wins, $27,463,669.
2017-18 NATIONAL, 172 winners (26 SWs, 13 2yos), 305 wins, $20,181,396: SOUTH HEM: 191 winners (28 SWs, 18 2yos), $430,964,120.
2016-17 NATIONAL 159 winners (26 SWs, 33 2yos), 272 wins, $16,142,610: SOUTH HEM: 171 winners, (28 SWs, 35 2yos) 291 wins $17,898,912.
Four times champion Australian sire, 2016-17 – 2019-20, runner up to Redoute’s Choice for the Champion Sire Title for 2013-14, leading juvenile sire three times, Leading Australian sire world-wide earnings (all got Aust) last three years, twice leading Aust sire winners, the 18-year-old Snitzel has been represented by 864 winners (a high 76.0% winners to runners) of 2480 races and $162 million.
To end of 2019-20, he had been represented by 103 stakes winners headed by 14 Group 1 winners and 17 others successful at Group 2 level, eight of them Group1 second or third. Eleven have earned $1million plus, with top earners being *Redzel (dam by Rubiton;15 wins to 1200m, $16,444,000), Trapeze Artist (Domesday; 7 wins to 1400m,$5,568, 750), Shamus Award (Success Express (USA); 2 wins 1600m, 2040m, $2,473,500), Sweet Idea (Timber Country; 8 wins to 1400m, $2,415,350), Snitzerland (Fraar; 8 wins to 1200m, $1,974,500), Estijaab (Charge Forward; 3 wins to 1200m, $2,540,825) and Russian Revolution (Stravinsky; 7 wins to 1200m, $1,284,225).
Group1 races won by offspring of Snitzel have included. SYDNEY, Golden Slipper, Golden Rose, All Aged, TJ Smith, Canterbury, Galaxy, Sires’ Produce. MELBOURNE, Cox Plate, Australian Guineas, Oakleigh Plate, Lightning, Darley Classic. and BRISBANE, Doomben 10,000, T J Smith, BTC Cup.
*A big portion of Redzel’s earnings came from two successive wins in the Everest, the World’s richest race on turf, a 1200m event at Randwick carrying in 2020 prize money of $14million. It has not yet been awarded stakes status, but is recognised as a world class sprint.
Snitzel himself is a former first class 2 and 3yo who in earning in excess of $1million, won seven of 15 outings. He ran as a short priced favourite in the first five of six starts at two, winning the ATC Breeder’s Plate (on debut, 3.0 lens), Wyong Strawberry, 1.3 lens), Doomben Slipper-L (6 lens) and ATC Skyline-G3 (2.3 lens) and finishing third of 16 in the Gold Coast 2yo Magic Millions Classic.
As a 3yo, his only other campaign, Snitzel won the MRC Oakleigh Plate-G1 (1.8 lens), ATC Challenge-G2 (1.3 lens), and Up Coming Stakes (0.8 lens), finished second in the VRC Newmarket-G1 (05 len) and third in the ATC TJ Smith-G1 (0.9 len) and San Domenico-G3 (1.5 len).
Inbred 4×4 to Northern Dancer, the 15.3 hands bay Snitzel is a good example of the wisdom of Arrowfield sire selection. They were responsible for the initial use of his paternal grandsire Danehill in Australia and stood both Snitzel’s sire Redoute’s Choice and maternal grandsire Snippets.
A $260,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling, Snitzel is a brother to Viennese (Group 3 winning filly) and a three-quarter brother to the Fastnet Rock high grade 2yo and sprinter Hinchinbrook, a first class young sire who was a big loss when he died at ten at the Yarraman Park Stud, Scone.
All bred by Francious Naude, they are among five winners from the Macquarie Stud bred good Snippets sprinter Snippets’ Lass, a product of Snow Finch, an Irish juvenile Listed 2yo winner by1980 European 2yo Storm Bird. He sired breed shaper Storm Cat.
The leading ten national sires on earnings 2019-20
SN1TZEL 2002 (Redoute’s Choice), Arrowfield Stud, Scone HV 175 winners (18 SWs), 265 wins (25 Stks), $17,863,769
I AM INVINCIBLE 2004 (Invincible Spirit), Yarraman Park, Scone HV 183 winners (13 SWs), 311 wins (17 Stks), $15,853,261.
PIERRO 2009 (Lonhro), Coolmore, Jerrys Plains, HV 116 winners (9 SWs), 193 wins (12 Stks), $15,791,748
FASTNET ROCK 2001 (Danehill (USA), Coolmore, Jerrys Plains HV, 129 winners (8 SWs), 204 wins (15 Stks), $12,587,337
NOT A SINGLE DOUBT 200 (Redoute’s Choice), Arrowfield, Scone HV, 107 winners (9 SWs), 171 wins (15 Stks), $12,427,810
SEBRING 2005 (More Than Ready (USA), stood Widden, Widden, HV, 146 winners (6 SWs), 228 wins (11 Stks), $12,002,019.
ZOUSTAR 2010 (Northern Meteor), Widden, Widden HV, 100 winners (7 SWs), 174 wins (10 Stks), $11,171,290
EXCEED AND EXCEL 2000 (Danehill (USA), Darley HV, 107 winners (14 SWs), 188 wins (20 Sks), $10,955,328
WRITTEN TYCOON 2002 (Iglesia), *Woodside Park, Tylden Vic, 164 winners (8 SWs), 270 wins (11 Sks), $10,951,948
RUBICK 2011 (Encosta de Lago), Coolmore, Jerrys Plains HV, 43 winners (oldest 3yo; 2 SWs), 75 wins (4 Sks), $10,765,806.
*Written Tycoon in a partnership deal with Woodside Park has been transferred to stand the 2020 season at Arrowfield, Scone. He is free of Danehill.
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE STATS FOR 2019-20
Listed in order of Australian and other southern hemisphere earnings combined
SNITZEL, 201winners (18 SWs), 302 wins (25 Sks), $20,926,567
PEIRRO, 131 winners (10 SWs), 227 wins (14 Sks), $20,537,776
EXCEED AND EXCEL, 142 winners, 17 SWs, 243 wins (24 Sks), $20,353,662
I AM INVINCIBLE, 201 winners (15 SWs), 339 wins (19 Sks), $18,767,950
NOT A SINGLE DOUBT, 120 winners, 11 SWs, 193 (18 Sks), $18,675,796
FASTNET ROCK, 165 winners (12 SWs), 263 wins (22 Sks), $18,003, 836
SEBRING, 163 winners, 7 SWs, 254 wins (12 Sks), $16,065,432
ZOUSTAR, 113 winners (7 SWs), 200 wins (10 Sks), $14,013,030
SO YOU THINK (NZ), 129 winners (9 SWs), 213 wins (12 Sks), $12,878,016
WRITTEN TYCOON, 177 winners (8 SWs), 287 wins (11 Sks), $11,835,345
MORE ARROWFIELD SIRE TRIUMPH
Arrowfield Stud provided three of the top four sires on juvenile earnings for 2019-20 Australian racing. In order of most money, they were SNITZEL, 28 winners (4 SWs), $4,735,677, NOT A SINGLE DOUBT, 12 winners (3 SWs), $4,394,501 and REDOUTE’S CHOICE, 5 winners (2 SWs), $1,502,288. Splitting Not a Single Doubt and Redoute’s Choice in the juvenile earnings list is Yarraman Park Stud’s I Am Invincible with 24 winners (5 SWs) and $2,792,034. He led by stakes winners.
BROODMARES: For the second successive year, Arrowfield stud’s former champion sire Redoute’s Choice has been the most successful Australian broodmare sire by domestic earnings, finishing with 287 winners (20 SWs), 477 races (32 Sks) and $27,361,102.
Taking in the success of the progeny of his Australian sired daughters in New Zealand, South Africa, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Malaysia, Redoute’s Choice aggregated for the year dams of 340 winners (24 SWs), 558 wins (37 SWs) and $36,298,380.
Runner up broodmare sire, former Coolmore sire Encosta de Lago, had national earnings of 334 winners (17 SWs) and $24,616,583. His southern hemisphere stats added up to 411 winners (19 SWs), 669 wins and $35,387,011.
Every one of the top ten sires on Australian statistics on national earnings for 2019-20 is Australian bred and raced
I Am Invincible again top sire by winners
The Mitchell brothers’ Yarraman Park Stud west of Scone for the third successive year has had their ever consistent sire I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit (Ire) (by Danzig’s Green Desert) – Cannarelle, by Canny Lad) chase Snitzel home in second place on the national statistics by earnings, but for the second successive year has headed him numerically.
In earning $15,853,261 for 2019-20 Australian racing, I Am Invincible had the most contributors with183 winners (13 SWs) of 311 races. Snitzel finished with 175 winners of 265 races.
They finished level nationally – southern hemisphere numbers combined, on 201 winners, but I Am Invincible ended with 339 wins as against the other’s 302.
Since I Am Invincible opened his representation as Leading First Crop Sire in 2013-14, he has been leading sire by winners twice and second to Snitzel on national statistics by earnings three times.
So far, I Am Invincible has been represented by 523 winners, a high strike rate of 77.4%, of over 1630 races and $88million. Fifty six stakes winners have included nine successful in G1 events and six others G1 placed.
BRAZEN BEAU: I Am Invincible’s first crop son Brazen Beau (dam by Danzig sire Snaadee (USA), is following up claiming champion sprinter honours at three, a campaign that included wins in Melbourne in the Newmarket and Coolmore, and at four a second in the Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot, by shaping up as a quality sire from use at Darley studs in the Hunter Valley and GB.
In the Australian statistics for 2019-20, he was the most successful two crop sire by stakes winners with five of them successful and four others stakes placed. Heading his 3yos were Pretty Brazen (dam by Encosta de Lago; won Sandown Guineas), Colada (Volponi (USA); ATC Stan Fox) and Sartorial Splendor (Rubiton; MVRC Red Anchor).
His second crop juveniles included two stakes winners, Idea’s Man (Rubiton; MVRC Inglis Banner 2yo) and Larimer Street (Redoute’s Choice; MVRC Valley Pearl S, 2nd VRC Sires’ Produce S).
Another, North Pacific (O’Reilly), showed big promise in his two juvenile starts, appearances at Rosehill in the Silver Slipper (by 4.6 lens) and in a 2YO Handicap (by 2.5 lens). In the Hawkes stables, he has since at three dazzled with a 5.3 lens win in the Up and Coming Stakes at Randwick, earning pre-post favouritism for the Golden Rose.
Brazen Beau has also got off to a promising start as a sire from northern hemisphere use, represented by winners GB, Ireland, Italy and USA.
Two Cox Plate winners share top NZ sire honour
Two stallions who each won the Cox Plate at Mooney Valley and who stand alongside each other at the Chittick family’s Waikato Stud in New Zealand, Savabeel (Aust)(2001, Zabeel (NZ)- Savannah Success(Aust), by Success Express (USA) and Ocean Park (NZ) (2008, Thorn Park (Aust) – Sayyida (NZ), by Zabeel), have claimed champion sire titles for 2019-20
For one, for the fifth successive year New Zealand sired Australian bred and raised Savabeel has captured the Grosvenor Award, one bestowed on the Champion New Zealand sire by domestic earnings, but for the first time in that period he has missed out on the Dewar Award for the leading sire by New Zealand- Australian earnings combined, finishing second to Ocean Park.
Ocean Park was clearly the most successful New Zealand sire by Australian earnings, supplying 45 winners of 83 races and $10,144,966.Taking in Australian, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau earnings, he ended up with 84 winners (7 SWs) of 143 races and $12,863,740.
He was outperformed, however, by Savabeel in the leading sire statistics for the southern hemisphere, the latter aggregating 149 winners (19 SWs) of 227 races and $14,498,326. It was Savabeel’s fifth success as New Zealand southern hemisphere leader, a performance recognised by presentation of the Centaine Award.
So far Savabeel has been represented by 678 winners (71.1% of 2080 races) and over $100 million. Contributors have included100 stakes winners (10.5%) including 20 successful at G1 level.
The younger sire Ocean Park has supplied 146 winners (9 SWs) of 342 races and over $20millon. Performers from his first two crops who have indicated he was an up and coming source of excellence include Kolding (dam by Danzero; won ATC Epsom, Queensland Guineas), Tofane (Galileo (Ire); won ATC All-Aged S, 3rd ATC Galax), Oceanex (Danasinga; won VRC Matriarch S, Port Adelaide Cup), Another Dollar (Pins; won BRC Premier’s Cup, Gosford Gold Cup, 2nd Queensland Oaks), Star of the Seas (Titus Livius (Fr); won ATC Maurice McCarten, 2nd ATC Doncaster, Winx, 3rd ATC Epsom), Rondinella (Red Ransom (USA): NZ winner, 2nd MVRC WH Stocks, 3rd ARC NZ S, ATC Tancred) and Arrogant (O’Reilly; winner, 2nd ATC Rosehill Guineas, Waikato Guineas).