Part-owner John Messara has confirmed that It’s A Dundeel has been retired and will stand at Arrowfield Stud with a service fee of $27,500.
It's A Dundeel finished his racing career with a victory in the 2014 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Photo by: Steve Hart
It’s A Dundeel recorded his sixth victory at Group 1 level in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday and connections revealed that they were considering a Royal Ascot tilt for the son of High Chaparral, but Messara told TVN yesterday that the four-year-old would begin his career at stud.
“He’s at the top of his game, I think he rated a PB in the Queen Elizabeth,” Messara said.
“He won arguably a tip-top race, he’ll go up further in the international rankings and he will probably be a top 10 horse in the world now.
“The chances are they start to get a bit colty and a bit keen for stud duties around spring time and I think that’s where he ought to be
“We brought him for stud purposes and he has done his job.”
It’s A Dundeel made his racing debut with a victory in a maiden at Ellerslie in April 9 in 2012 and after a brief stint in the spelling paddock was bought to Australia for the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival.
The talented entire scored wins at Wyong and Canterbury before winning the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) at Royal Randwick on September and upsetting Proisir to take out the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at the same venue on October 6.
The winning streak of It’s A Dundeel was snapped by Super Cool in the Group 2 Mitchelton Wines Vase (2040m) at Moonee Valley on September 7 and he did not perform at his best in the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on November 3, but he returned to his best form during the 2013 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival; taking out the Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m), Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and Group 1 Australian Derby in dominant fashion before finishing second behind Reliable Man in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
It’s A Dundeel started the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival as leading Cox Plate contender and he stamped himself as the horse to beat in the Australasian Weight-For-Age Championship with a surprise win over Atlantic Jewel in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 21, but suffered a hoof injury and failed to fire when eighth in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 26.
The High Chaparral entire took a while to find his best form during his autumn preparation, finishing second in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m), third in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and second in The BMW (2400m), but produced one of the best performances of his career to take out the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes last weekend.
It’s A Dundeel finished his racing career with ten wins, including six at Group 1 level, from 19 starts and total prizemoney of $5,321,410.
