Aquis Stallions put up the CASH!

Officiating

Over the last 5+ years, the Aquis Stallions Breeders Bonus programs have paid out over $1.5million to our clients.

We are pleased to announce our 2024 Stallion Bonus Scheme – the Officiating Breeders Bonus Scheme. This bonus is worth $500,000 to the Breeder of the first two-year-old Stakes-winner from the 2025 foal crop by Triple Group Winner Officiating.

A half-brother to a Champion two-year-old, Officiating is the first son of the elite sire Blame to stand in Australia.

“We are confident that this bonus will be won, and Officiating will join previous Aquis stallions like Pierata, Brave Smash and Royal Meeting to have sired two-year-old stakes winners in their first crop. He’s got a fantastic book of mares ready for him including over 20 of our own mares and the biggest individual shareholder base of any stallion we have stood!”

“We look forward to handing over $500,000 to one lucky breeder!” enthused Jonathan Davies.

Qualifying races include all Stakes races run in Australia with the bonus being paid to the breeder – the person, people or entity named on the 2024 Officiating Service Agreement. To be eligible, two mares must be covered by Officiating in the 2024 season. Aquis owned mares are ineligible for the bonus, increasing your prospect of success.

Remember, the more mares you breed to Officiating, the more chances you have to win $500,000.

Terms and conditions apply. To view the terms and conditions, visit this link.

Please contact our sales team at Aquis Stallions for more information.

  • Jonathan Davies (Director of Sales) – 0423 033 858
  • Paul Knight (Business Development Manager) – 0410 683 469
  • Penelope Crowley (Nominations) – 0427 857 788

Officiating First Draft Pick As Aquis Announces 2024 Fees

Officiating

Queensland’s leading stallion operation, Aquis Stallions, has revealed its roster for the 2024 season.

Aquis Stallions who have launched the careers of some of Australia’s most promising stallions PIERATA, BRAVE SMASH and ROYAL MEETING now announces its new stallion development opportunity in the three-time US Group winner, Officiating.

A complete outcross, deliberately selected by Aquis Stallions following a global headhunting mission to secure a stallion that will excel with the local Queensland broodmare population, with a particular focus on mares by Spirit of Boom, Better Than Ready and Spill The Beans amongst the wider pool of Danehill heavy Queensland mares.

Officiating is the first son of the North American super sire, Blame, to stand in Australia. An Eclipse Champion Racehorse, Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, and three-time Group 1 winner, Blame is an elite stallion who runs at 14% stakes horses to runners as both a sire and a broodmare sire.

Officiating was a racehorse for all seasons, excelling on fast and heavy surfaces with four of his five career victories at stakes level. Officiating would capture the Group 3 Cornhusker at his penultimate outing making it his third high class Group win before farewelling the track in the US$1million Group 2 Charles Town Classic, finishing a neck fourth behind Art Collector, the winner of the Group 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes. This is proper, fast, tough form on the world stage.

“We got our man!” Aquis Stallions Director of Sales, Jonathan Davies enthused. “In a deal we spent most of 2023 putting together in the USA, Officiating is perfect for our local broodmare population, that’s why he’s here and we’ve already seen a glimpse of that through this season’s Group 2 Todman Stakes winner Switzerland being by Snitzel out of a Blame mare”.

“For us, launching stallions and developing value for our stallion shareholders is what it’s about and like Brave Smash and Royal Meeting, Officiating is that tough, sound, outcross stallion that will work and we have no doubt in four to five years’ time he will be sought by all the big studs in the Hunter Valley and Victoria.

Officiating will stand his first season at Aquis Stallions at a fee of $12,500 inc GST.

Officiating is part of an 8-strong Aquis roster in 2024, which is headed by one of Australia’s leading 2-year-old sires Kobayashi.

Please contact our sales team at Aquis Stallions for more information or to arrange a private viewing of our new stallion Officiating or any of the 2024 stallions.

  • Jonathan Davies (Director of Sales) – 0423 033 858
  • Paul Knight (Business Development Manager) – 0410 683 469
  • Penelope Crowley (Nominations) – 0427 857 788

 

2024 Aquis Stallion Roster

 

Stallion Name 2024 Fee
(inc GST)
Kobayashi $15,000
Lean Mean Machine $13,200
Jonker $12,500
Officiating (USA) (NEW) $12,500
Stronger $9,900
Invader $8,800
Glenfiddich $5,500
The Mission $4,400

AQUIS STALLIONS ANNOUNCE STRONGER 2023 ROSTER

Aquis Stallions has today announced their 7-strong stallion line up for the coming spring.

Headlining the Stronger than ever team is the Group 1 winning sprinter, Jonker ($16,500 fee), who covered a superb book of mares for his first season in 2022. A son of the hugely popular Spirit of Boom, Jonker was the fastest male winner of the Gr.1 Manikato Stakes (faster than Redoute’s Choice, Rebel Dane, Sepoy etc..) and his brilliant speed also saw him smash Champion Sprinter, Takeover Target’s 1200m track record.

He’ll be joined in 2023 by son of Champion sire Not A Single Doubt, Stronger ($13,750 fee), a Group 1 winning speedster in Hong Kong and Group winner in Australia at 2.

Both Jonker and Stronger will be joined by the proven Group 1 stallion Invader and up-and-coming sires Kobayashi and The Mission both of whom have enjoyed an incredibly successful twelve months on the track. While Lean Mean Machine – who’s oldest progeny (two-year-olds) are impressing trainers around the country, and the charismatic, good-looking son of Fastnet Rock, Glenfiddich rounds out a strong rooster for 2023.

“We are incredibly excited for the season ahead, we are spearheaded by two good looking proper Group 1 sprinters, both by proven, colonial, speed stallions. We cannot wait for breeders to feast their eyes on Stronger and see Jonkers first foals galloping around paddocks across Australia,” Aquis Farm Director of Sales, Jonathan Davies enthused.

“Jonker covered the best book of mares a first season stallion has covered on this farm. Prudent breeders will of course note that and breeding to Jonker this season will prove an astute move. With the service fee increase to his sire Spirit of Boom, at his fee, Jonker is an attractive option for breeders looking to tap into the sire line,” added Davies.

Like Jonker, Fastnet Rock’s Gr.2 Bill Stutt winner (and Gr.1 Champagne Stakes runner up), Glenfiddich ($8,800 fee) was well received in his first year, while Lean Mean Machine ($13,200 fee) is off to a promising start with trainers predicting progeny will emulate their sire’s Group 2 winning form at 3.

Snitzel’s Group 1 winning 2YO, Invader ($11,000 fee), became the first of the current crop of Second Season Sires to produce a Group 1 winner with Sunshine In Paris winning the Surround Stakes and fellow 2YO stakes winner – the I Am Invincible sire, Kobayashi ($8,800 fee) – has a number of outstanding types coming through, including lightning quick 2YO, Mishani Royale, who has won her last four starts and led home the quinella for her sire in the $500,000 QTIS Jewel.

And the best value for money QTIS stallion, The Mission ($8,800 fee), boasts a higher average earnings index than leading Second Season Sires Russian Revolution and Hellbent. A Group 1 winning 2YO who was Champion Queensland First Season Sire in 2021/22 by winners and earnings and is again the state’s current leading Second Season Sire.

Please contact our sales team at Aquis Stallions for more information or to arrange a private viewing of our new stallion Stronger or any of the 2023 stallions.

  • Jonathan Davies (Director of Sales) – 0423 033 858
  • Paul Knight (Business Development Manager) – 0410 683 469
  • Penelope Crowley (Nominations) – 0427 857 788

 

2023 Aquis Stallion Roster

 

Stallion Name 2023 Fee (inc GST)
Jonker 16,500
Stronger (NEW) 13,750
Lean Mean Machine 13,200
Invader 11,000
Glenfiddich 8,800
Kobayashi 8,800
The Mission 8,800

 

STRONGER JOINS AQUIS STALLIONS ROSTER

Aquis Stallions are proud to announce that exciting Group 1 winning sprinter Stronger will take up stud duties at their Canungra farm this spring.

This son of major speed influence, Not A Single Doubt, returns to Australia after a tremendous career in Hong Kong where he won the 2022 Gr.1 Centenary Sprint Cup (defeating 3-time Group 1 winner Wellington). Other career highlights in the region included a close second in the Gr.2 Sprint Cup and Group placings in the Sha Tin Vase, Bauhinia Sprint Trophy and Premier Bowl.

Originally trained in Australia by Peter and Paul Snowden, Stronger was an outstanding 2YO, winning on debut before placing in the Gr.3 Pago Pago Stakes, he then capped his juvenile season with victory in the Gr.3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic at the Gold Coast.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to have secured Stronger,” Aquis Stallion’s Director of Sales, Jonathan Davies, enthused. “He ticks all of our boxes – he’s good looking, he’s fast, he ran early before training on at 3, 4 and 5 and he hails from a great female family and to top it all off, he’s by Not A Single Doubt!”

The sole million-dollar yearling by Not A Single Doubt of his year, Stronger is an exceptional athlete and, notably, a pre-Christmas two-year-old winner.

“Since Stronger went through the sale ring, Not A Single Doubt has produced 34 stakes-winners of over $77 million in prizemoney, while Stronger is among 9 Group 1 winners,” Davies adds. “Indeed, Stronger is the third, and almost certainly the final, Group 1 winning son of Not A Single Doubt to go to stud, alongside Farnan and Extreme Choice.”

“Extreme Choice has already produced 14 stakes horses including three individual Group 1 winners from 68 starters, while Farnan is one of the most talked about young stallions in the country and has covered over 380 mares in two seasons at stud. We cannot wait to see Stronger follow in the footsteps of his Group 1 winning paternal brethren.” concluded Davies.

George Moore, the Bloodstock Agent who sourced the future star out of Australia for clients to race in Hong Kong, is confident Stronger can develop into a high-class sire.

“With Aquis Stallions’ astute acquisition of a rare Australian two-year-old winning son of Not A Single Doubt and a subsequent Hong Kong Group One winner, we have no doubt that he has all the makings of a top progressive stallion in Australia.”

“He has the earmarks of a top stallion being a $1.05 million yearling, correct in conformation, kind in character and explosive in his race finishes.”

“The principal owner in Hong Kong has retained a large share in Stronger and with his robust previous association with the Fung family will provide a good book of mares to the stallion.”

“Magic Millions, through David Chester who brokered the deal, has done a tremendous job with the initial introductions to stand Stronger at such a prestigious and progressive farm in Aquis Stallions,” Moore added.

“Stronger has the right ingredients to make it as a high-class sire of the future,” Magic Millions’ David Chester said. “A smashing individual who was a star in Australia before going to another level in Hong Kong.”

“You just love a horse that can unleash explosive sectionals and Stronger possessed this important quality. He will be an important addition to the Queensland industry and looks ideal for the QTIS bonus scheme,” Chester added.

Stronger will stand at a fee of $13,750 (inc GST)

Please contact any of our sales team at Aquis Stallions to arrange a private viewing of Stronger.

  • Jonathan Davies (Director of Sales) – 0423 033 858
  • Paul Knight (Business Development Manager) – 0410 683 469
  • Penelope Crowley (Nominations) – 0427 857 788

JOYFUL FORTUNE TO RACE FOR AQUIS IN EVEREST

$15 million The Everest slot holder, Aquis, has announced that former Hong Kong sprinter, Joyful Fortune, will be its representative in Australia’s richest race on 15 October.

Transferred to Mark Newnham’s Randwick stables, Joyful Fortune resumed with a brilliant all-the-way victory in the Myer Fashions on the Field Sprint down the Flemington straight on 18 September. Carrying 60.5kgs, Joyful Fortune dominated rivals, winning by over 4 lengths.

By Nicconi – also sire of world champion sprinter and 2021 Everest winner, Nature Strip – Joyful Fortune was something of a sensation on debut at Sha Tin, running a near record of 55.07 seconds and demolishing rivals in a faultless display. It was the third fastest time recorded down the Sha Tin straight.

Winning again at his penultimate start in Hong Kong, Joyful Fortune was off the scene for 12 months while recovering from bone chip surgery. Repatriated to Australia, Joyful Fortune turned heads by toppling 2021 Everest third Eduardo in a barrier trial at Randwick in August. It’s only the third time in 16 outings that the multiple Group 1 winner has been beaten in a trial and Joyful Fortune whipped through the 742 metres in 43.72 seconds and overhauled Eduardo on the wire.

Trainer of Group 1 winning sprinter, Nakeeta Jane, Mark Newnham is delighted to target the Everest with Joyful Fortune, his first runner in the race. “In the short period of time I have trained Joyful Fortune he has shown all the qualities of a top-class sprinter and adds an X factor to the World’s most exciting race.” said Newnham.

“He ran blistering time in Hong Kong and was ultra-impressive first up at Flemington with big improvement to come, he handles all track conditions, and we believe he will make his presence felt on the day”, said Aquis Director of Sales, Jonathan Davies.

For more information, please contact Jonathan Davies on 0423 033 858.

Feature Image: Bruno Cannatelli

AQUIS FARM TO STAND EMERGING SIRE SENSATION ACLAIM

Aquis Farm has announced it will stand exciting Group 1 winning sprinter and 2021 Champion British Based First Season Sire, ACLAIM, this spring.

Winning the Group 1 Prix de la Foret in France in his final start at 4, Aclaim retired to the National Stud in England having been unbeaten as a 2YO, a multiple stakes winner at 3 and, a Group 1 and Group 2 winner at his last two outings.

An immediate sensation at stud, Aclaim was the Leading British based First Season Sire by winners in 2021 and is currently a leading Second Season Sire with progeny including this year’s brilliant, trans-Atlantic filly, Cachet, winner of the Group 1 The One Thousand Guineas. Aclaims’ second Group 1 winner looks to be nigh with exciting filly, Royal Aclaim maintaining her unbeaten record last Saturday courtesy of a resounding victory in the Listed City Walls Stakes over 1000m at York. A breathtaking display of speed left audiences in awe of this truly special filly and she was immediately installed as the market elect for the time-honoured Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes. With 54 winners thus far, Aclaim’s other stakes performers include include Jacinda, Beautiful Black, Chelsea Gardens and Woman of Ciprea.

Aclaim certainly caught the attention of leading international bloodstock agent, John Ferguson, who points out: “Aclaim was a fast, good-looking Group 1 winning stallion that is producing good looking foals with so much quality – he’s very exciting.”

Aclaim is by leading European sire, Acclamation, whose 63 stakes winners – 6 at Group 1 level – of $81 million, include 2021 Champion 2YO Sire, Dark Angel (standing at 60,000 euros).

From a daughter of the incredibly well related Danehill stallion, Danroad (likewise damsire of 11-time Group 1 winner Verry Elleegant), the first six dams of his pedigree have featured a Group 1 winner, while Aclaim is also related to Champion racehorse and successful stallion, Montjeu (sire of 31 Group 1 winners of $148 million).

“This is a massive coup for Aquis and the Australian breeding industry” Aquis Director of Sales, Jonathan Davies, reveals. “Aclaim is a proven Group 1 sire with massive upside, he is on sharp upward trajectory to be one of the leading stallions in Britain. He’s already the sire of a proper Group 1 classic winner, Cachet and one of the most exciting speed horses in Europe, the unbeaten Royal Aclaim, with large numbers coming through still to run its anyone’s guess what he will have achieved when the first of Aclaims’ Australian-bred progeny hit the sales”.

Aclaim will stand his first season in Australia, at Aquis, at a fee of $24,200 including gst with his book limited to just 100 mares.

“Aclaim already has 55 mares committed to him – a large number of which include stakes winners or stakes producing mares in foal to the likes of I Am Invincible, Snitzel, Zoustar and co.,” Davies adds. “Both Loving Gaby (multiple Group 1 winner) and Tallow (dam of Champion 2YO Farnan) arrived on farm last week and will be covered by Aclaim. With limited nominations available you will need to be quicker than Royal Aclaim at York on Saturday to secure a spot.”

Please contact any of our sales team at Aquis Farm to arrange a private viewing of Aclaim or any of the 2022 stallions.

  • Jonathan Davies (Director of Sales) – 0423 033 858
  • Paul Knight (Business Development Manager) – 0410 683 469
  • Penelope Crowley (Nominations) – 0427 857 788

GLENFIDDICH TO STAND AT AQUIS

Glenfiddich - Stutt Stakes (Steve Hart)

Aquis Farm is thrilled to announce that Glennfiddich, the Group 2 winning son of Champion Sire, Fastnet Rock, will stand at their Canungra based farm this season.

A brilliant 2YO who would ultimately finish a nose second in the Gr.1 Champagne Stakes, Glenfiddich resumed at three with a third in the Gr.1 Memsie before capturing the Gr.2 Bill Stutt Stakes over 1600m at Moonee Valley.

“We couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to stand a stallion of this calibre,” Aquis Director of Sales, Jonathan Davies, said. “Glenfiddich is an outstanding athlete and breeders love a horse that showed so much precocity yet could mature and take it up to the best of them over a mile. And he’s by Fastnet Rock!”

Competing at black type level at all but two of his career starts (five of the final six at Group 1), Glenfiddich competed against the elite sprinter/milers in Australia.

Thrown in at the deep end from day one, Glenfiddich’s juvenile highlights included a second to Hanseatic in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview, a lip second in the Magic Millions Adelaide 2YO Classic, a three-length demolition in the Mornington Sires’ and, in his final start at two, run a nose second to multiple Group 1 winner, King’s Legacy, in the Champagne Stakes.

“Glenfiddich always raced against top company,” Davies adds. “He split King’s Legacy and Ole Kirk in the Champagne and the latter went on to win a Golden Rose and Caulfield Guineas. First up at three Glenfiddich ran third behind 3-time Group 1 winner, Behemoth, and Derby winner, Mr Quickie, in the Gr.1 Memsie with a lot of good horses in his wake that day.”

Glenfiddich would then capture the Bill Stutt Stakes and emulate sire greats such as Pierro, Encosta De Lago, Canny Lad and Zabeel by taking out the prestigious Group 2.

Spreadeagling his opposition in the Stutt, the beaten brigade included 4-time stakes winner Cherry Tortoni and Australian Guineas winner, Lunar Fox.

Glenfiddich is by multiple Champion Australian Sire and major stallion influence, Fastnet Rock (185 stakes winners), whose sire sons include Foxwedge, Hinchinbrook and Smart Missile.

Indeed, Fastnet Rock is a major influence in this well-related pedigree given that he is also the sire of Glenfiddich’s close relations Eleven Eleven (winner of $2.9 million in prizemoney) and Gr.1 Doomben Cup winner, Comin’ Through. Other members of this power packed family include the 4-time Group 1 winner, Criterion.

Glenfiddich was bred by (and part-owned by) Ian Smith’s Edinburgh Park Stud and carries the familiar IKS brand.

“We always had a lot of confidence in Glenfiddich and it’s not hard to work out why; he’s such a lovely type of horse, with a great temperament and that family has worked so well for us,” Smith said. “There’s something like 10 stakes horses alone in the second dam, while others on the page represent some of the best racehorses we’ve seen on Australian tracks over the last decade or so.

“Edinburgh Park was very happy to retain a share in Glenfiddich after the yearling sale and we’re ecstatic that he’s heading to Aquis Farm where he will get every opportunity to succeed. The owners and I will be supporting him with some nice mares,” concluded Smith.

Glenfiddich will stand at a fee of $8,800. Please contact Jonathan Davies on 0423 033 858 or the team at Aquis Farm to schedule a private viewing.

GR.1 SPRINTER JONKER RETIRES TO AQUIS

Exceptional Gr.1 sprinter Jonker has retired and will stand at Aquis Farm. He is the first son of Queensland’s champion sire Spirit of Boom to retire to stud.

“Jonker has been on our “hit list” for quite some time and we are absolutely thrilled to stand him. Jonker has every attribute we want in a stallion prospect, conformation, 2YO ability, speed, soundness, temperament and performance at an elite level,” said Aquis Director of Sales, Jonathan Davies.

“Having met the team from Aquis Farm and perusing the facilities, we decided it was time for Jonker to go to a deserving home. He has provided us with some great times that will be missed but his lovely nature will ensure he enjoys his next stage in life which we can all enjoy being part of,” said Doug Crane, Managing Owner.

Jonker has a similar racing profile to his sire Spirit of Boom in having been a brilliant stakes-winning juvenile that trained on as an older horse to achieve Group 1 success.

Jonker joined the stable of champion trainer Tony Gollan in 2020 and showed his potential immediately when breaking the track record at Doomben for 1200m when winning the Listed BRC Keith Noud Quality at his first run for his new trainer.

He led all the way from a wide gate and won by four and a half lengths stopping the clock at a blistering 1:07.83, bettering the previous record held by the legendary sprinter Takeover Target.

He then won the $1 million Magic Millions Snippets Stakes (1200m) in January and placed in elite Gr.1 company at his next two starts finishing third to Eduardo in the Gr.1 ATC The Galaxy (1100m) and second to Vega One in the Gr.1 BRC Kingsford -Smith Cup (1200m).

Those performances announced Jonker as a sprinter of the highest calibre and his next target was the time-honoured Gr.1 MVRC Manikato Stakes (1200m) at WFA at Moonee Valley in the spring.

“Jonker was simply brilliant in the Manikato, it was a blistering display of sustained speed and he showed enormous heart to score a career defining victory.”

The earner of over $2 million in prizemoney, Jonker retires with five wins and eight placings from 30 starts with six of those placings coming in elite Group races behind the likes of Everest hero Classique Legend and Gr.1 winner I Am Excited.

“He really fills the eye and is loaded with quality” enthused Davies.

“He’s 15.3 ½ hands, he’s strong with massive hip and shoulder and incredible balance.

“He’s a great mover and our experience would be that most stallions produce what they are. If he does that, he’s going to produce really attractive foals that will certainly make an impact on racetrack”

Jonker also ticks the box of pedigree tracing in tail female line to revered blue hen Eight Carat (GB) via her influential daughter Cotehele House (GB). The family has delivered of Gr.1 producing stallions such as Commands, Danewin, Deep Field, Shooting to Win, Don Eduardo, Viking Ruler, Viscount, Kaapstad, Octagonal and Colombia.

Jonker will stand at a fee of $16,500 incl GST and is now at the farm at Canungra and is available for inspection.

“His sire line is one of Australia’s elite sources of 2YO speed and Jonker is from a female family that works with a wide variety of pedigree’s, so we are very excited by what he will bring to our stallion roster and to breeders from across Australia,” Davies concluded.

Please contact Jonathan Davies on 0423 033 858 or the team at Aquis Farm to schedule a private viewing of Jonker.

Lean Mean Machine returns to Queensland

Lean Mean Machine

Aquis Farm is delighted to announce that outstanding 2YO Lean Mean Machine will be taking up residence in Queensland to bolster their stallion roster to 16. He will stand alongside Pierata and Invader in what will be Queensland’s largest stallion station.

Lean Mean Machine is the only dual Group 2 winning son of Champion Stallion Zoustar at stud and is the best son of Zoustar in Queensland.

Lean Mean Machine was a multiple stakes performed two-year-old, winning the Gr.2 BRC Sires Produce in the winter of 2018, a race his own sire won in 2013. Lean Mean Machine further cemented his future as a stallion with a victory in the Gr.2 Run to The Rose (1200m) at and then a smashing 3rd in a classic renewal of the Gr.1 VRC Coolmore Classic (1200m) behind Champion Filly Sunlight and Zousain (with all three being by Zoustar).

“It’s fitting that Lean Mean Machine comes home to Queensland. He was bred in Queensland, by Glenlogan Park, he raced in Queensland winning a Group 2 and will now stand his third season at stud, in Queensland.”

“Lean Mean Machine has covered healthy books of mares in his two seasons at stud, his arrival back in Queensland will give local and interstate breeders the opportunity to tap into a sire line that is on the up, his own sire Zoustar is an out and out champion.”

“We have received very good feedback on his first foals. To have foals born that are the spitting image of their own sire, with his demeaner and type is a recipe for success in the breeding barn.

Lean Mean Machine will warrant consideration from all top breeders and is priced at $13,200.” said Director of Sales, Jonathan Davies.

Aquis Farm invite breeders to contact Director of Sales, Jonathan Davies (0423 033 858) or Business Development Manager, Paul Knight (0410 683 469) to arrange an inspection of any or all of the stallions.

Queensland Breeders The Big Winner As Aquis Farm Brings Top Stallions Home

Pierata

Aquis Farm President, Justin Fung, is pleased to announce that $5.8 million prizemoney earner Pierata, together with Aquis’ full 2020 New South Wales stallion roster, will call Queensland home this year.

Mr Fung said the roster was the envy of some of the biggest stud farms in the southern hemisphere and reflected Aquis’ confidence in the future of the Queensland racing industry.

“Pierata was one of the most exciting first season stallions to stand at stud in the Hunter Valley last year. He covered an astonishing 168 mares, of which 65 were stakes performers, including Loving Gaby,” Mr Fung said.

“It is only fitting that he, and the rest of our stallions, find their way to our historical home at Canungra.

“We have always had confidence in the Queensland breeding and racing industry, the QTIS prizemoney and the strength of the racing calendar dictated that we have a bigger presence in Queensland.”

Mr Fung said the Queensland breeding team would be headed up by Director of Sales, Jonathan Davies.

“Jonathan has built a strong team around him that is the backbone of this operation. I am immensely proud of what he and his team have been able to achieve,” he said.

“Good fertility results and excellent horsemanship are a testament to how knowledgeable and dedicated they are to the Aquis philosophy of ‘Success is achieved by teamwork, innovation and supporting their clients and the industry at all levels’.”

The Aquis Farm brand was initially established in Queensland in 2015 following the acquisition of a 480-hectare facility at Canungra on the Gold Coast hinterland.

After standing four stallions in its debut season in 2016 the company has gone on to build one of the most enviable rosters in the southern hemisphere and enjoyed strong patronage from breeders across Australia.

In 2021, Aquis Farm’s roster will be headlined by Pierata, who made the move to Canungra from the Hunter Valley and will stand at a service fee of $44,000 (incl. GST). On the track, Piereta won over $5,800,000 in prizemoney winning the Gr.1 All Aged Stakes at Royal Randwick as a four-year-old.

The roster also includes Invader, Snitzel’s best two-year-old, who has covered great books of mares in his first three years at stud.

Mr Fung said his progeny had been well received by trainers and bloodstock agents at the major sales this year and the initial feedback from breakers with his stock was very encouraging.

“We are confident that feedback will correlate into racetrack success in the coming racing season,” he said.

Spieth, another of our first season stallions with progeny selling this year, has been well received by buyers, averaging $118,000 at this month’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. Spieth will stand in 2021 for a fee of $8,800. He is leaving a good physical type with a good temperament that trainers love, he is a very exciting prospect going forward.

Bellevue Hill, Brave Smash, Divine Prophet, Jukebox and Santos will be the other stallions calling Queensland home, they will be barn mates to Dubious, who was the busiest first season sire in Queensland last year and Champion 2YO The Mission, Husson, Duporth, Kobayashi, Kiss And Make Up and Performer.

As part of this announcement, Aquis have also confirmed their 2021 stallion fees. See below.

Please contact Jonathan Davies on 0423 033 858 or the team at Aquis Farm to schedule a private viewing of the stallion roster.