Widden Stud

by Glen Latham

Year in, year out Widden bred, raised or sold stock are making headlines at the highest level on the track. Take the 2016 and 2017 Widden Magic Millions drafts for example.

In 2016 Widden’s select draft contained a colt, bred by long-time client Rob Anderson, from the first crop of Golden Slipper winner Pierro out of Lipari. Bought by Manny Gelagotis, we now know the colt as Australian Derby winner Levendi.

Levendi

It would be a similar story twelve months later as buyers had the pick of the first offerings by Zoustar. Amongst them was a filly bred by Widden and clients out of Solar Charged, and as Sunlight she is now the leading lady of her generation winning the Magic Millions 2YO Classic and then defying the colts in the Gr.1 Coolmore Stakes at Flemington. In that same draft was Graff, bought by astute judge Alan Bell and subsequently the winner of the Gr.3 San Domenico Stakes followed by a close third in the Gr.1 Golden Rose. Alongside those performances goes the promise of him making into a top-line sprinter in the Autumn.

“In assessing the past few years, Widden’s record of consistently offering future Group One Winners via our Magic Millions drafts is quite remarkable.” Widden’s Marketing and Stallions Nominations Manager Ryan McEvoy said.

Sunlight

Even before the likes of Sunlight and Levendi, Widden has offered at Magic Millions the likes of stallion prospects Stratum Star, Star Turn and Horse of the Year Dissident.”

Amongst a diverse 2019 Widden draft are the next wave of potential stars from resident sires Sebring and Zoustar. Sebring continues to sire Stakes winners of the highest calibre, the most recent example being this year’s Gr.1 One Thousand Guineas winner Amphitrite. And to show his diversity Sebring has sired no fewer than fourteen individual Stakes winners in the calendar year to date at distances ranging from 1200 to 2500 metres and of both sexes.

Widden will offer seven lots by Sebring in their Book 1 draft and there are no prizes for guessing the half-brother to Sunlight will be on most buyers’ shopping lists. There are also colts out of the Gr.3 winner Vaquera and the Listed winner The Messina Nymph, and fillies out of the Gr.2 winner Flying Snitzel and the Gr.3 winner Valentine Miss, for sale.

As for Zoustar, he has quickly filled the void left by the early passing of his sire Northern Meteor and, having been crowned Leading First Season Sire for 2017/18, has established what already looks an unassailable lead in the Second Season table. Few stallions sire the Trifecta in any race, but Zoustar achieved the feat in a Gr.1, the Coolmore Stakes when Sunlight held off Zousain and Lean Mean Machine down the straight six. And in Sunlight and Zousain he now has the highest rated colt and filly in the three-year-old sprint division. His Widden 2019 Gold Coast offerings number fourteen of which two of note are the colt out of the three-time New Zealand Gr.2 winner Satinka and a filly out of the Listed winner Princess Emmy, dam of Gr.3 winner Thurlow.

“With Sebring and Zoustar you have two of the most dominant and exciting young sires in Australia and they are stallions buyers can be confident supporting knowing you are giving yourself a huge chance of securing a top liner”, McEvoy added.

The foundation of Widden’s success has been the policy of standing only fast horses to which the deeds of Star Witness are testament. His latest star is the aforementioned Graff who follows hot on the heels of Star Turn, Global Glamour et al. Widden will offer a quintet of yearlings by the powerhouse including a full sister to the dual black-type winner Stellar Collision.

IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY THERE WOULD BE FEW, IF ANY, THOROUGHBRED STUD FARMS AROUND THE WORLD THAT OFFER FOR AUCTION CHAMPION RACEHORSES WITH THE CONSISTENCY OF WIDDEN STUD.

In Outreach the stud believe they have the next young stallion to continue their success rate. A brilliantly fast son of Exceed And Excel, he pushed subsequent Golden Slipper winner Vancouver to three-quarters of a length on debut in the Gr.3 Canonbury Stakes at his only start. His debut yearlings will be on show on the Gold Coast.

“Outreach is a young, white hot sprinter with a profile that we feel could have a genuine influence with his 2yo’s. We’re particularly excited about him given the quality of individuals he is getting”, said McEvoy.

Buyers looking for speed will do well to remember that record-breaking sprinter Nature Strip is a son of another resident sire in Nicconi, and that the McEwen Stakes winner carries the Widden brand. Known for producing Magic Millions type horses Nicconi will be represented by several lots including a colt out of the Listed winner Mary’s Grace.

As well as those conceived on the stud, Widden’s clients have seen fit to trust Antony Thompson and his team with a number of high-quality yearlings by a broad range of stallions, both established and new. One lot that jumps off the page is the colt by Medaglia d’Oro, the last foal out of Gr.1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Peggy Jean. Also amongst the draft is a Snitzel half-sister to the Gr.3 winner Elle Lou, a colt by I am Invincible and fillies by Not A Single Doubt and Written Tycoon. Of the freshman sires the Widden draft has a filly first foal out of the Gr.2 BRC Champagne Stakes winner Blueberry Hill by Vancouver and a Pride Of Dubai colt out of a winning daughter of the Hong Kong Derby winner Elegant Fashion. For the last word we turned to Ryan McEvoy.

“We’re of the belief this is the highest quality of draft we’ve ever assembled. I know that can be a flippant sentence rolled out before every sale but I can’t think of a better line up of quality yearlings that match their pedigree on type as what we have coming to the Coast in January.”

2019 DRAFT

10 Medaglia d’Oro (USA) - Peggy Jean (AUS)

28 Zoustar (AUS) - Princess Emmy (NZ)

40 Outreach (AUS) - Queen of the Nile (AUS)

41 Pride of Dubai (AUS) - Queen’s Fashion (AUS)

95 Zoustar (AUS) - Satinka (NZ)

99 Star Witness (AUS) - Sayahailmary (AUS)

101 Written Tycoon (AUS) - Scrum (AUS)

117 Zoustar (AUS) - Shakeira (USA)

128 Star Witness (AUS) - Sheeznodoubt (AUS)

145 Snitzel (AUS) - Snipify (AUS)

152 Sebring (AUS) - Solar Charged (AUS)

191 Zoustar (AUS) - Sunday Rose (AUS)

220 Sebring (AUS) - The Messina Nymph (AUS)

224 Nicconi (AUS) - Think Fast (AUS)

260 Sebring (AUS) - Valentine Miss (AUS)

263 Sebring (AUS) - Vaquera (NZ)

287 Star Witness (AUS) - What an Impact (AUS)

350 Zoustar (AUS) - Anabarbarian (AUS)

360 Zoustar (AUS) - Anuket (AUS)

363 Stratum (AUS) - Apamea (GB)

409 Vancouver (AUS) - Blueberry Hill (AUS)

424 Charm Spirit (IRE) - Bryony (AUS)

436 Nicconi (AUS) - Callista (AUS)

462 Zoustar (AUS) - Circus Olay (AUS)

489 Smart Missile (AUS) - Curtain Calls (AUS)

512 Dissident (AUS) - Depasse (AUS)

515 Zoustar (AUS) - Desert Symphony (AUS)

571 Sebring (AUS) - Fast Talker (AUS)

586 Sebring (AUS) - Flying Snitzel (AUS)

600 Not a Single Doubt (AUS) - Freestyle (AUS)

651 Choisir (AUS) - Hidden Message (NZ)

718 Star Witness (AUS) - Kiss the Sun (AUS)

738 Zoustar (AUS) - Leap Lively (AUS)

750 Zoustar (AUS) - Locket (AUS)

763 Zoustar (AUS) - Lunar Snitzel (AUS)

786 Nicconi (AUS) - Mary’s Grace (AUS)

795 I Am Invincible (AUS) - Michaux (AUS)

804 Zoustar (AUS) - Mischief n Mayhem (GB)

805 Sebring (AUS) - Mischief Night (AUS)

816 Zoustar (AUS) - Miss Lombardi (AUS)

845 Zoustar (AUS) - My Dear Friend (AUS)

864 Star Witness (AUS) - Noesis (AUS)

www.widden.com | 02 6549 9999 | Widden Valley, NSW | Antony Thompson: 0427 470 507 | Derek Field: 0408 492 495 | Ryan McEvoy: 0439 802 837 | Matt Comerford: 0424 742 672