Australian racing’s new star Your Song will race through the winter before being retired to stand his first season this Spring at Widden Stud in the Widden Valley.
Your Song will be retired to stud after the Winter Carnival. Photo by Daniel Costello.
The Fastnet Rock colt scored a sensational five lengths win in heavy conditions in the Group 1 $400,000 Bundaberg Distilling Co. BTC Cup (1200m) at Eagle Farm last Saturday qualifying trainer Anthony Cummings’ high opinion of the three year old.
“From the first day he came I said that he was a Group 1 horse, but it’s taken a little bit longer to prove it than I expected to but very pleased to have got the job done,” Cummings said.
Your Song was instantly installed as favourite for the two remaining Group 1 Winter Carnival open sprints and is $3.20 for the $650,000 Carlton Mid Doomben 10,000 (1350m) at Doomben on May 25 and $4 for the $1.36m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 8.
The Gooree Pastoral Company owned Your Song is now the winner of three races from seven starts with earnings of $447,180 with Saturday’s win adding to his two wins as a two year old.
Gooree Stud Racing Manager, Monica Barrera said that Gooree had always thought Your Song would develop into a top line sire prospect and were thrilled to see him collect his first Group 1 victory on Saturday.
“He has always been a special colt and we were so thrilled to see him come out and prove that last Saturday,” Barrera said.
“He was an outstanding foal, probably the pick of all of our foals in fact, so we had always hoped he might develop into a sire prospect being by an outstanding sire in Fastnet Rock from such a great family.
“We are primarily breeders and the boss (Mr Cojuangco) likes his stallions to be lightly raced when they go to stud, so now that Your Song has proved himself at Group I level against top class opposition it’s time to move on with the next phase of his career.”
Your Song has the looks, the breeding and the racetrack performances that make a top line sire and Widden Stud boss Antony Thompson is more than happy to welcome him into his stallion ranks for the upcoming breeding season.
“He’s a colt that has the pedigree, the good looks and that Group I winning brilliance. Fastnet Rock is Australia’s dominant sire so to have the opportunity to stand arguably his most dominant son is incredibly exciting.” said Thompson.
“Physical attributes are all important in a sire and in Your Song we could not be taking on a more impressive individual. It was interesting listening to the post-race comments from Saturday which back up our view that he is one of the best looking Fastnet Rock sons to look through a bridle.”
Your Song will join other Group 1 winning Widden Stud stallions Sratum, Sebring, Northern Meteor, Star Witness, Nicconi and Lucky Owners.
The retirement of Your Song to Widden Stud follows hot on the heels of the Australian racing ranks loosing other top three year olds Pierro and All Too Hard heading off to stud duties as well as undefeated champion Black Caviar being retired to the breeding barn for the upcoming season.
Pierro will stand at Coolmore with a first season fee of $77,000 after collecting five Group 1s while All Too Hard was purchased by Vinery Stud and retired after scoring his fourth Group 1 victory in the Group 1 $400,000 Yarraman Park All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 27 and will stand for a fee of $66,000.
