Denman blooms at stud

As the first winner of the Golden Rose run at G1 level, Denman defeated a class line-up that included many note worthy Stakes horses; Trusting, Stryker, Shellscrape, The Mikado, Viking Legend as well as the G1 Golden Slipper quinella of the year prior in Phelan Ready and Headway.

Not only did he record a stunning victory in the Golden Rose, but the Lonhro colt also recorded a further eight race wins, five at Stakes level and in excess of $1.2 million in career earnings.

After recording a third place on debut, Denman went on a six-start winning-streak that showed the racing fraternity that he was a galloper of immense talent. The last three of that six were at Stakes level; taking out the G3 Run To The Rose by one-and-a-quarter lengths, the G1 Golden Rose by one-and-three-quarter lengths and then taking out the G2 Stan Fox Stakes by three-quarters-of-a-length.

Resuming for an autumn campaign Denman won three on end – all at Stakes level, reaffirming his position as one of the leading three-year-olds of his year.

Denman ended his Australian three-year-old season with a Timeform Rating of 124, a rating higher than fellow three-year-olds Phelan Ready, Black Caviar, Melito, Descarado, Faint Perfume, More Joyous, Once Were Wild, Shellscrape, Manhattan Rain and Rothesay.

As the first G1-winning son of Lonhro to retire to stud, the other being fellow Darley stallion Benfica who retired this year to stud, Denman was awarded a book of mares be fitting the top-class racehorse he was.

Covering his first book of mares in 2010, the progeny of those matings are now yearlings, with an impressive array of individuals both on type and pedigree.

A winner of three G1 races in three different states, Yosei is out of the Fuji Kiseki mare Fuji Fairy, who produced a yearling filly by Denman from his first year at stud, while G1 Queensland Oaks winner Miss Keepsake is out of the well-related Jacilo who is also the dam of a Denman yearling, this time a colt.

One of the leading mares of the 2011/12 racing season was the ill-fated Reset mare Pinker Pinker, winner of the prestigious G1 W.S. Cox Plate over 2040m at Moonee Valley. Miss Marion, Pinker Pinker’s dam produced a Denman colt, making the now yearling a valuable commodity come sale time, if that is where his breeders intend to take him.

With yearlings on the ground out of siblings to 16 individual G1 winners including AJC Derby winner Fiumicino, Dubai World Cup winner Monterosso, Australian Oaks winner Streama, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Arazi, Victorian Oaks winner Bulla Borghese, Australian Cup winner Pompeii Ruler, and the triple G1 winner Naturalism, to mention but a few, there is bound to be many keen yearlings buyers active at the sales when Denman’s first crop are offered for sale.

In his second year at stud, Denman’s book from a quality perspective mirrored that of his first, covering the likes of Stakes winners Camino Rose, Belle Femme, Captivating, Faith Hill, Not Fussy, Techniques, as well as the dams of El Cambio, That’s The One, Shepishir, Marchinski, Pinwheel, Kiss Me Katy, Bianca Jewel, Screen, Hantu, and the Gai Waterhouse-trained G1 Australian Oaks winner Once Were Wild.

With his first two books of mares including 182 mares who were Group Or Listed winners, or dams, daughters or sister to Group or Listed winners, Denman’s career as a stallion has been given the best opportunity to succeed. Covering his third book of mares this season from his Kelvinside base, many keen breeders have once again shown their support for Denman, sending him many Stakes-winning and producing mares.

Standing at Kelvinside at a fee of $33,000 (inc. GST), alongside his sire Lonhro at $110,000 (inc. GST) and his paternal half-brother Benfica at $11,000 (inc. GST), further updates on all three of these stallions, as well as any of the remainder of the Darley’s roster can be viewed by clicking here to access Darley’s 2012 Online Stallion brochure and by clicking here to download Darley’s new App for Iphone and Ipad users.

To contact any of the Darley Nominations team please click here to obtain their details.