Oratorio leads line-up at Mungrup Stud

Mungrup Stud has all bases covered with its five-horse roster headed by Champion sire Oratorio (Aus) this year.

“We have the leading 2YO and leading 3YO sires along with two Champion dual Group 1 winners and a staying sire,” Mungrup owner Gray Williamson said.  “Whatever you are looking for, we have it.”

Oratorio (Stravinsky) heads the line-up at $16,500 (inc gst) which is a realistic service fee for Western Australia’s most successful two year-old sire since Haulpak.

This season will mark his fourth juvenile title in the last six years and that dominance has made Oratorio the best producing Westspeed sire in WA, which is reflected at the yearling sales year after year.

Oratorio filly Cadenza won this year’s Perth Magic Millions 2YO Classic prior to his yearlings averaging $71,390.  He’s also had horses run on with the likes of Ora Dare and Belora attaining success in their four and five year-old seasons.

“Oratorio continues to be in demand and keeps delivering the goods,” Williamson added.  “He has a devoted following among WA breeders and trainers and continues to produce high quality juveniles.”

Complementing WA’s most successful juvenile sire of the modern era is Mungrup newcomer, the dual Group 1 winner, Playing God.

Arguably the best local horse to stand in Western Australia since Aquanita, the son of Blackfriars will stand for an introductory fee of $6,600 (inc gst).

Playing God won the Group 1 Kingston Town Stakes twice and was only beaten a length when attempting an unprecedented hat-trick in Perth’s signature event earlier this season.

Timeform had rated him the equal of Buffering as a three year-old and he was Group 1 placed behind Black Caviar in the C F Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield the following year.

“He was a two year-old winner at Ascot and then came back for a stellar classic season,” Williamson recalled.   “He’s by a champion sire son of Danehill and fits exactly what you look for in a sire, a precocious and tough Sprinter-Miler.”

Dual Group 1 winner Dick Turpin (Ire) will return for his third southern book shuttling from the English National Stud to Mungrup this year.

Dick Turpin (Arakan) was prepared by champion trainer Richard Hannon and won his first four races as an early two year old including the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood.   He returned at three to defeat stablemate Canford Cliffs in the G3 Greenham Stakes and followed up with seconds in the G1 English 2000 Guineas, G1 French 2000 Guineas and G1 St James Palace Stakes.

Dick Turpin then delivered a career-best performance with a four length victory in the G1 Prix Jean Prat (1600m) at Chantilly.

His first foals from the English National Stud were in demand at Tattersalls selling up to 70,000gns (AUD 132,040).   “Dick Turpin has really raised the bar for Western Australia,” Williamson declared.  “He was a world-class racehorse and his first foals here are real athletes with strong hind-quarters.”

Dick Turpin covered 100 mares at Mungrup last year and he will stand for an $8,800 (inc gst) in 2014.  There were a large amount of mares rebooked to the stallion on the back of the appearance of his first crop of foals.

Danehill Express is on the cusp of a third premiership in as many seasons and his success stands up on the national stage.

The stakes winning son of Danehill is in the Top 10 on the Australian third-season premiership and, since retiring to Mungrup, he has sired the winners of 110 races here.

Danehill Express was crowned Western Australia’s first and second-season champion and he is a runaway leader on the third-season ladder with earnings of $1.51 million.  Daylight and Lynward Park sire Balmont are next on $676,690.

He is one of four stakes winners from Group 1 AJC Oaks winner Savana City and, with just three crops racing, only champion sires Blackfriars and Oratorio (Aus) are above him on the Western Australian general sires’ premiership.

Danehill Express will sand for a $5,500 (inc gst) fee this year.

Hala Bek (Ire) was imported to mainly cover mares owned by the Williamson family but he caught on and had a book of 55 last year.

The only son of Halling (Diesis) at stud in Australia, he raced just three times for Sheikh Ahmed al Maktoum starting with a three length win on debut at Newbury as a spring three year-old.

Trainer Michael Jarvis threw Hala Bek straight in at the deep end for the G1 English Derby and, in the closest classic finish in living memory, he was beaten a nose, a short-head and a nose into fourth place behind Sir Percy.

Hala Bek was a good thing beaten at Epsom Downs after veering sharply and almost unseating his rider in the final furlong.  “If it had happened 100 yards earlier, I would have got him balanced in time,” jockey Philip Robinson recounted.  “He lost all momentum and should have won.”

The result was that close, trainer Michael Jarvis asked to see an enhanced picture of the blanket finish.  Sidelined for more than two years, he returned and bolted in by seven lengths at Nottingham before bowing out for good.

Hala Bek hails from a staying sireline that also generated Melbourne Cup runner-up Bauer.  His oldest are two year-olds and he is available for a $5,500 (inc gst) fee.

PLAYING GOD  $6,600 (inc gst)
ORATORIO  $16,500 (inc gst)
DICK TURPIN  $8,800 (inc gst)
DANEHILL EXPRESS  $5,500 (inc gst)
HALA BEK  $5,500 (inc gst)

For further details, broodmare owners should contact Mungrup Stud on (08) 9853 2103.

Playing God paddock resize PR

PLAYING GOD