News

Americain to stand at Swettenham Stud

9th Jan 2013

Swettenham Stud News - Wednesday, 9 January 2013

Swettenham Stud is delighted to announce that it will be home to Americain for the champion stayer’s highly anticipated debut Australian breeding season.

Kevin and Colleen Bamford and Gerry and Val Ryan, who raced the son of Dynaformer in partnership, this week signed off on an agreement to stand Americain at Swettenham’s base in Nagambie, Victoria for the 2013 breeding season.

The Emirates Melbourne Cup winner will stand at a fee of $12,500 plus GST.

Swettenham Stud’s Adam Sangster said it was a privilege for his organisation to acquire the services of one of the most sought-after staying sire prospects of recent times.

“Americain is a superior stayer who possesses a sensational turn of foot and it is an honour for Swettenham Stud to be selected as the home for his debut Australian season,” he said.

“There was significant competition from high-profile studs in New South Wales in the race to secure Americain and his presence will be an asset for the Victorian breeding industry.

“Americain is not only a striking individual, he boasts amazing bloodlines and we look forward to helping Australasian breeders achieve the ultimate in breeding a Melbourne Cup winner.”

Americain himself achieved the ultimate in Australian racing when he won one of the strongest editions in the history of the Melbourne Cup in 2010. He also ran a luckless fourth in the 2011 Melbourne Cup and finished just out of the money this year in what was his final start.

He was also twice a Group 2 winner in Australia, having won the Moonee Valley Cup and Zipping Classic and also captured the Group 3 Geelong Cup. In April of 2012, he ran a gallant 2nd in the BMW Stakes (Gp1) over 2400 meters.

That is on top of a Northern Hemisphere career that included Group 2 wins in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier and the following year’s Prix Kergorlay.

Those racetrack deeds, combined with striking good looks and his impressive pedigree, should ensure Americain is popular with breeders in both hemispheres according to Kevin Bamford.

“Americain is out of the Arazi mare America and has duplicated open lines to Plucky Liege, Blossom Time and Sierra in a similar but slightly stronger genetic pattern to the recent English Derby winner New Approach, who is one of the world’s hottest young stallions,” Bamford said.

Americain will stand his first American breeding season at Kentucky’s esteemed Calumet Farm – which now owns a 50 percent stake in the horse where he will stand at a fee of US$20,000.

Colleen, Kevin, Gerry and Val were thrilled to announce that their stallion remains in Victoria and hopes it proves a boon for the Victorian breeding industry, especially with the newly formed VOBIS Gold.

“We are all staunch supporters of the Victorian breeding industry and are delighted that we have been able to come to an arrangement that will see Americain return to Victoria for his first Australian breeding season.”

“We look forward to seeing him make an impression and are excited about the prospect of racing some of his progeny in the years to come.”

The owners are offering a limited number of Lifetime Breeding Rights on a first-come-first-served basis. Prices are available on application with Adam Sangster, who can be contacted on +61 418 543 633.