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Waller Colts Groomed For Stud Careers

13th Oct 2015

Racing And Sports - by Chris Scholtz - Tuesday 13 October 2015

Exciting Encosta de Lago colt Vanbrugh has all the credentials to become a leading representative of his sire line come the end of his racing career.

By backing up his win in the G3 Gloaming Stakes with a comprehensive display in last Saturday’s G1 Spring Champion Stakes over 2000m at Randwick, Vanbrugh has joined the likes of Complacent and Dundeel as recent winners of this notable double.

Trainer Chris Waller now has to decide if he extends Vanbrugh’s spring campaign to the G1 Victoria Derby at Flemington on October 31, a race that would make the colt a standout prospect as a classic sire.

The three-year-old was a $100,000 purchase for Irish bloodstock agent Mick Flanagan from the Widden Stud draft at the 2014 Sydney Easter Yearling Sale and now races for an eclectic group of owners that includes the US-based Merriebelle Stable and Sydney couple Francis and Barbara Kennedy, who were among the original owners of Vancouver.

Vanbrugh has now earned $520,000 from his four wins in nine starts but more importantly is steadily increasing his potential breeding value following the recent retirement from stud duty of his outstanding sire Encosta de Lago by Coolmore Stud.

Whether Coolmore will look on Vanbrugh as an addition to their sire ranks remains to be seen, but the quality and pedigree of this imposing colt will make him a valuable addition to any stud roster.,

Vanbrugh is the 24th G1 winner by Encosta De Lago and is one of three named foals that includes two winners from the city winning Lucky Owners mare Soho Secret.

His second dam, Professionelle (Centaine) produced 10 winners from as many to race including multiple G2 winner Sportsman (Supremo), G2 winner Prisoner Of Love (Canny Lad), dual G3 winner Hoystar (Danzero) and the Listed winner King Of Prussia.

His outstanding stablemate Press Statement, who recorded his second G1 win in last Saturday’s Caulfield Guineas, is also doing his bit to enhance the rapidly expanding influence being spread by sons of Fastnet Rock.

Press Statement is by Fastnet Rock’s classy son Hinchinbrook, himself a G3 winner and four-time G1 placegetter who is now proving to be one of the most reliable young sires standing in Australia.

A three-quarter brother by Fastnet Rock to Snitzel, Hinchinbrook was the Champion First Season Sire in 2014/2015 and Press Statement is proof that his breed will train on as they mature.

Press Statement (Hinchinbrook x Kaaptive Empress, by Kaaptive Edition) is a half-brother to G1 winner Pressday (Domesday) and would seem to have his stud future already laid out as he is raced by Vinery Stud in partnership with China Horse Club Racing and Raffles Thoroughbred Racing.

The syndicate purchased the colt from his breeder Tony Muollo, a client of the Waller stable, at the end of his 2YO season. Muollo also bred and raced Waller’s G1 winner Hawkspur.

Press Statement’s record of five wins includes the G1 JJ Atkins Stakes and G2 Stan Fox Stakes from 7 starts for $1,278,275 prizemoney.

The colt is out of the nine-time winning mare Kaaptive Empress and his second dam is the Listed winner Nile Empress (Upper Nile) who produced eight winners from nine foals to race and is the grandam of G1 winner The Mighty Lions (Grosvenor). The Mighty Lions is the dam of the G3 winner Vaquera.

Muollo has a lot to look forward to as Kaaptive Empress produced a sister to Press Statement by Hinchinbrook last month. She also has a yearling by Street Cry.

The Waller stable has been the source of some outstanding stud prospects in recent times with Press Statement and Vanbrugh set to follow on from the big syndication deals done for his recent G1 winners Zoustar and Brazen Beau and before them Stryker and Pressday.