m o n t h l y monthly
September 2024 THIS MONTH MORE BISCAY SONS FRESHMAN STALLIONS FOR 2024
GOLD TRIP A MELBOURNE CUP WINNER AT STUD
We have included a background on Gold Trip that we published after he had won a memorable Melbourne Cup. It is wonderful to see that he is now going to be standing at the new Lovatsville Stud in Victoria at an attractive fee of $8,800. Melbourne Cup winners are often neglected in the stallion market, but this seems a perception that does not reflect reality. We see very few Melbourne Cup winners go to stud, simply because few are stallions. The last was Protectionist who returned to Germany for stud duties, but sadly died in 2023 just when his career looked to be gaining momentum. To date he has sired around 50 individual winners. The 2013 winner Fiorente also tragically passed in 2023 but not before leaving nine stakes winners. Americain was the 2010 winner and a regular source of winners but Shocking, the 2009 winner was to stand in NZ and to date has sired 23 stakes winners including the Group 1 star, I’m Thunderstruck. Before that we had to go back to the 1990’s to see stallions like Jeune who sired over 20 stakes winners, and Kingston Rule, the sire of eight stakes winners. Prior to that it was Rain Lover in the 1960’s before we see another Melbourne Cup winning stallion head to stud. Given the small sample size, the results of these stallions are sensational. If Gold Trip can keep up with some of these, he will find himself among our most sought-after sires in the coming years.
The major argument against Cup winners at stud is that they are too stout for our bloodstock. It is fair that NZ is a much more fertile environment for this type of stallion, but it is too easy to generalise. We see that Protectionist and Fiorente, both sons of the German stallion, Monsun, are likely to be true stamina-oriented sires. Americain though, being by Dynaformer out of an Arazi mare had a pedigree had much more of a balance between speed and stamina. Shocking, by Street Cry out of a Danehill mare, also falls into this category, as do Jeune (Kalaglow/Green Dancer) and Kingston Rule (Secretariat/Claude). In the case of Gold Trip who is by Outstrip, a son of Exceed And Excel out of a mare by Dubai Destination, it is clear that he also features much more of a balance between speed and stamina in his pedigree.
Gold Trip has a moderately inbred pedigree at 5.86% Hardiman’s Coefficient of Inbreeding for six generations. The closest duplication is that of Northern Dancer who we see appearing four times within six generations. Interestingly we see the three-quarter siblings Sadler’s Wells and Nureyev. We also see the presence of three male lines of Sir Ivor in the sixth generation, and also the presence of two lines of My Charmer. My Charmer is found through her son by Northern Dancer in Lomond and also her Bold Reasoning son in Seattle Slew. Lomond was a winner of six races that were mostly as a 2yo and included the New Stakes, Gimcrack Stakes, St. James's Stakes at Kempton Park, the Norfolk Stakes. He was to produce Loch Lomond who won the Irish Derby yet surprisingly a gelded son called Ben Lomond was to race in Australia where he won the Goodwood Handicap. Lomond was later to stand in Argentina where he continued to sire stakes winning horses. Seattle Slew was a champion racehorse winning 14 of his 17 starts that included the US Triple Crown. He was crowned champion of his age in the US at two, three and four years of age. His success followed into the breeding shed where he produced champions like AP Indy, Slew Of Gold and Capote who all went on to stud success. Clearly My Charmer was an outstanding broodmare and she produced another stakes winner in Seattle Dancer who also went to stud with success. Two more sons also went to stud in Great Charmer by The Minstrel and Argosy by Affirmed who was sent to South Africa where he had good success. Great Charmer stood at stud in NZ and sired the stakes winners Charming Talker and Great Lover.
The pedigree of Gold Trip shows a host of influential descendants that could be worth pursuing if they are found in the pedigrees of potential broodmares. Daughters of Astern must be in the mix with Gold Trip as we see the stallion carries both El Prado and Exceed And Excel to complement those presences in the pedigree of Gold Trip. Astern’s sire, Medaglia D’Oro carries the line of El Prado who was a very underrated son of Sadler’s Wells and a champion 2yo in Ireland. Even though some of his daughters are getting on, there will no doubt be some that may suit Gold Trip. We have mentioned AP Indy, and he is a little hard to find in the local thoroughbred, but stallions like Frosted, Justify and Bernardini are ones that could certainly have daughters with plenty to offer with Gold Trip. Silver Hawk is a Japanese stallion that appears in the female line of Outstrip. He can be found in the pedigree of the good stallion Maurice and there may again be some daughters of that stallion that could suit Gold Trip. He does carry another male line of Sadler’s Wells, and this would need to be considered carefully in terms of the overall pedigree. This does bring us to the prospect of Japanese lines, and in particular mares that trace to Deep Impact might also be suited to Gold Trip.
Kingmambo was a multiple Group 1 winner at three and another stallion we see present in the pedigree of Gold Trip. He can regularly be found through a female in the pedigree of Camelot and we see that stallion as the sire of Russian Camelot among others. Mares that are by Camelot or have that stallion in their pedigree may well find success with Gold Trip.
Perhaps one of the most interesting influences in the pedigree of Gold Trip is that of Mill Reef who appears through his son Doyoun in the female line of the stallion. Mill Reef was a sensational racehorse winning stakes races at two and winning the Derby and Arc De Triomphe as a 3yo. He was a European Horse of the Year and was a successful stallion over a long period. Locally he is perhaps best known as the damsire of Last Tycoon, a stallion who is prominent in the sire line of Written Tycoon who well may be instrumental in the success of Gold Trip. For any who doubt the speed credentials of the stallion, we could introduce more speed lines through Written Tycoon and reinforce the great Mill Reef influence. There is no shortage of mares by Written Tycoon and these are some that might be attractive to Gold Trip. We should not that many of these mares will carry Danehill lines, and this is perhaps the biggest drawback facing the stallion. Daughters of Capitalist, a son of Written Tycoon, might well be another with suitable daughters as he also brings in female lines of both Danehill and Danzig.
Like most new stallions in the modern era, success will be dependant in part upon how they suit additional lines of Danehill. Gold Trip is a grandson of Exceed And Excel by Danehill which does bring in the prospect of duplicating that stallion, although it will prove a high-risk strategy. Most likely pushing Danehill back further in pedigrees will be where Gold Trip will find greatest success with Danehill line mares. We are now finding plenty of these types of mares but there is often quite a deal of competition for them. Perhaps one of the best things to remember for breeders is to consider the types of Danehill sons they are looking to bring into the pedigree. With Exceed And Excel being more noted as a speed influence, despite Gold Trip’s ability to win over ground, it is the more classic types of Danehill sons that I suspect might have the best result with Gold Trip. At the top of the list would be Redoute’s Choice and his sons like Not A Single Doubt and Snitzel, and of course now their sons. Being based in Victoria, one in particular that I would like to see have daughters visiting Gold Trip would be Shamus Award, whose progeny have also shown that they can win over longer distances.
In all, we see that Gold Trip looks to be a versatile addition to the stallion ranks, and it would not surprise to see him perform at least as well as some of the other Melbourne Cup winners at stud. As we have seen, that level would put him among a well credentialled group of stallions. In addition, the marketability of a Melbourne Cup winner may see his sales appeal far exceed most other stallions in the current price range in the market. We will await with interest the progeny of this outstanding racehorse, and trust that Victorian breeders in particular get behind Gold Trip in terms of numbers and quality of broodmares.
GOLD TRIP HIS RACING CAREER
Gold Trip won his way into Australian racing folklore by winning the 2022 Melbourne Cup on 1 November. The French bred stallion is another of the great results for Australian Bloodstock who have been importing overseas stayers into the country for some years. Despite Gold Trip now having earnings in excess of $6 million, the Cup was only his second race win and his first since arriving in Australia in September 2021. He was also rather harshly treated in the event, carrying top weight of 57.5kg in what can only be a reflection on the field this year. There were 13 Northern Hemisphere bred horses in the 23 horse field which was reduced with the scratching of the Irish bred Point Nepean.
Gold Trip first faced the starter on 24 October 2019 as a 2yo over a mile at Deauville in France. Getting back in the field he finished strongly to be beaten a head by Nat King by Nathaniel. Interestingly that gelding was to end his career in July 2021, only ever recording one more win in a 3yo Handicap at Chantilly. Three weeks later the colt had his last start at that age, running fifth
of ten runners over the same distance at Saint Cloud. The colt returned as a 3yo at Saint Cloud in May 2020 over 2100m, running second to Port Guillaume. That horse is also in Australia arriving in 2021 and finishing twenty-first behind Verry Elleegant in the Melbourne Cup of that year. He has certainly not adapted to Australian racing and his last run was a well beaten ninth behind Port Philip over 2400m at Caulfield in October. Gold Trip was to win his next start in the Group 2 Prix Greffulhe at Lyon. He then started in the French Derby, finishing eleventh behind Mishriff with Port Guillaume a good fifth in the race. After a let up it was a good third behind Mogul in the Group 1 Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris before Gold Trip finished his 3yo season with a fourth behind Sottsass in the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, beaten only two lengths. After another break, the lightly raced 4yo returned to run sixth in the Group 2 Prix d'Harcourt at Longchamp which was won by Skalleti on 11 April 2021. His only other run that campaign was to be a second
in the Group 1 Prix Ganay behind Mare Australis who had run second in the Prix d’Harcourt. Gold Trip ran home well but was a length and three quarters behind the mare who had led all of the way. After a break he returned again in a Group 1 race, this time the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud where he was to run third behind the Aiden O’Brien trained Broome, who like Mare Australis was by the champion galloper, Australia. On 25 September, Gold Trip arrived in Australia where he was sent to the stable of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.
Gold Trip was to have his first start in Australia at Rosehill in the Listed ATC Foundation Winter Challenge over 1500m on 30 July 2022. He was to run a good third behind the Waterhouse/Bott trained Cross Talk beaten 3.5 lengths over the unsuitable journey. Not surprisingly, he settled at the tail of the field and ran home well. After a short break, Gold Trip was off to Melbourne where he was sent over the 2000m at Caulfield in the MRC Foundation Cup. He was able to settle much closer to the lead, but failed to overhaul Smokin’ Romans and Uncle Bryn finishing third. On 1 October he again chased Smokin’ Romans, this time finishing fifth beaten a little less than two lengths. On to the Caulfield Cup and Gold Trip looked the likely winner inside the last 200m before another imported horse in Durston finished too strongly to win by 0.2 lengths. Gold Trip then found the 2040m of the Cox Plate against the weight for age horses not quite to his liking although he ran well finishing ninth but within three lengths of champion galloper Anamoe. Despite his good form, Gold Trip was sent out at $21 in the Melbourne Cup where he was impressive winning by two lengths from another import in Emissary.
The horse is a son of Outstrip, a stallion we know little of in Australia. He is however a son of the sensational Darley stallion, Exceed And Excel and was
a result of that stallion’s shuttle career to the Northern Hemisphere. Outstrip’s performance on the track reflected the speed and precocity that Exceed And Excel is best known for. He was beaten at his first start over 1400m at Goodwood, but at his second run won the Group 2 Champagne Stakes impressively by three lengths. He then ran third in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes behind Command before Godolphin took him to the US where he was victorious in the prestigious Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Returning as a 3yo, Outstrip was disappointing behind Night Of Thunder in the 2000 Guineas Stakes over a mile, and then improved to run third in the St James's Palace Stakes behind Kingman and Night Of Thunder. A fourth of four runners, beaten less than three lengths in the Sussex Stakes again behind Kingman rounded out his campaign. Outstrip was to start three more times without success before retiring to stud at Darley in the UK. After limited success, he was sold to Brazil in 2021 and no doubt his new buyers will be excited by Gold Trip’s success. We might think it odd that Outstrip is siring a Melbourne Cup winner given his sire and his own performance, and it is likely that we need only to look at his damsire, El Prado to find out that genetics are not always so obvious. El Prado’s progeny had an Average Winning Distance of 10 furlongs as compared to Exceed And Excel at 6.8 furlongs. In contrast we see that Outstrip now has an AWD of 8.7 furlong which is noticeable given that the stallion himself won up to a mile. The dam of Outstrip was Asi Siempre who was the winner of the Spinster Stakes in the US over 9 furlongs. As for Gold Trip, he was out of a mare called Sarvana by Dubai Destination. She is also the dam of Got Wind by Olympic Glory who was placed in the Listed Aymeri de Mauleon at Toulouse over a mile at only her third race start as a 3yo. Sarvana was a half-sister to Sarkiyla by Oasis Dream who won the Group 3 Prix de Lieurey and was placed in the Group
1 Prix Jean Romanet. While it is very much a French family in recent times, some lines of the family have made it to Australia. The most notable we see of late is that of the full siblings Saxon and Power Of Destiny by Danehill. Saxon won the Queensland Guineas and Doomben Classic and ended up at stud in WA where he produced four stakes winners. Power Of Destiny was placed in the Pago Pago as a 2yo behind eventual Golden Slipper winner Stratum and as a 3yo was second in the Gloaming Stakes behind Pendragon. At stud he produced only one stakes winner in Destiny’s Kiss who was quite remarkable winning ten times at Listed level and was placed in black type races on sixteen occasions. He was to run seventh behind Gallante in the 2016 Sydney Cup and the following year ran fourth behind Big Duke in the St Leger. All up, Destiny’s Kiss was to start on 102 occasions, winning nineteen races and over $1.5 million in stakes.
As an entire, the future of Gold Trip will be interesting. We often hear that Melbourne Cup winners do not make stallions, but we have seen plenty of champions
of the past excelling after their Cup victory. In recent times we have seen Shocking and Americain producing their share of winners, and we cannot forget that one of our top stallions in So You Think ran third in the Melbourne Cup. We must remember that few stallions get their chance to run in the Cup after all, and few of those go to stud so perhaps it is time to rethink the future of stayers at stud locally. While Gold Trip is from a family that gave us only a couple of moderate stallions locally, if we delve further into his pedigree we see that it also boasts stallions like Devil’s Bag, Saint Ballado and Singspiel who all had significant success overseas. Most likely the greatest chance for Gold Trip succeeding at stud may lie in New Zealand where he is much more likely to get the opportunity that he deserves. On the track no doubt connections will be trying to see if he can win a Group 1 race between 1600m to 2000m to convince breeders here that there is more to him than winning a Melbourne Cup. Hopefully we will get the chance to have a look at his future in the breeding barn in years to come.
