Mungrup Stud- Stallions

ORATORIO STRIKES FIRST BLOOD Tara Madgwick Sunday, 12 October 2008

It’s confusing to have two young stallions standing in the same country with the same name and it’s likely to get a lot more so next season when they both have runners, but for now it’s the Australian bred Oratorio that’s kicked a goal in siring his first winner at Belmont on Saturday in two year-old filly Gold Rocks. The Peter Giadresco trained filly went straight to the front and was never headed sprinting clear to win by nearly four lengths in a thoroughly dominant performance. “She is a real speed machine. She is so professional, she takes everything in her stride and has an old head on young shoulders,” Giadresco said, adding he would set the filly for the Karrakatta Plate. Gold Rocks (pictured left courtesy of www.perthracing.com.au )was retained to race by her breeder and is from the Luskin Star mare Alozie, a grand-daughter of stakes-winning mare Madame Monet. A former brilliant juvenile by Stravinsky (USA), Oratorio retired to stud with the record of four wins and four placings from 11 starts with earnings in excess of half a million. Fourth in the Magic Millions Two Year Old Classic won by Dancer Hero, his career highlight came in winning the Group Three MVRC C.S. Hayes Stakes as a three year-old. Oratorio (pictured left) stands at Mungrup Stud in Western Australia where he has covered books of 86, 104 and 90 mares, standing this season at a fee of $6,050.

GOLD ROCKS STAKES CLAIM Barry Farmer, West Australian

Naturally talented two-year-old filly destined for success during her youth.

Speed machine Gold Rocks, an easy winner of the Westspeed Plate, 1000m, at Belmont Park on Saturday, the first Perth race for new season two-year-olds, has an ideal pedigree for early success.
The naturally gifted filly was the first starter for Mungrup Stud's new sire, Oratorio, and is from Alozie, by Luskin Star.
Oratorio was a tough, highly-competitive youngster able to race in four States and win in Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne as a two-year-old.
His three wins at age two were in the SAJC Magic Millions Adelaide Classic, BTC Tommy Smith Slipper Stakes and MVRC St Albans Stakes.
Oratorio, by Stravinsky from Express A Smile, by Success Express from Hold That Smile, was also second in both the MRC Blue Diamond Prelude and Wyong RC Strawberry Hill Slipper, third in the MRC Debutant Stakes and fourth in the Gold Coast TC Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic.
Stravinsky, now in Japan, was Europe's champion sprinter and his wins included the Group 1 July Cup. He was champion New Zealand sire of two-year-olds in 2005/06 when standing at Cambridge Stud.
Success Express, brought to Australia by the late Robert Holmes a Court, was rated the fastest two-year-old of his year in the world, and his wins included the US Breeders Cup Juvenile.
Unraced Express A Smile has also produced Lady Dehere, by Dehere, a four time winner at age two including the Group 2 Matamata Breeders Stakes in New Zealand and Discorsi, by Galileo, winner of the Listed VRC Gibson Carmichael Stakes at age two.
Hold That Smile was unbeaten in four runs at age two - the Group 1 Karrakatta Plate, Group 3 Queen's Plate, Listed Gimcrack Stakes and Initial Plate. She was then voted WATC Horse Of The Year.
Hold That Smile's full-brother, Carry A Smile, rates with the best sprinters to have raced in WA, having won 12 times and was also a WATC Horse Of The Year. He was unbeaten in three starts at age two.
And Luskin Star, by Kaoru Star from Promising, by Idomeneo, was one of Australia's greatest ever two-year-olds. He won eight times in his initial season, taking the Golden Slipper Stakes, AJC Sires' Produce Stakes, QTC Sires' Produce Stakes, STC Silver Slipper Stakes and AJC Breeders' Plate.
This overwhelming infusion of natural, early speed has clearly dominated Gold Rocks's genetic make-up.
Alozie's two other foals to race both took minor events last season. Am So To, by Fimiston, whose stock generally take time to mature, was successful at 1200m and Dakota Conflict, by Tribu, won at 1600m.
Her grand dam, Madame Monet, won nine times from 1200m to 2100m. She then produced seven winners: Last Laugh (successful from 1200m to 1400m), Monsieur Monet (1400m-2100m), Top Gypsy (1200m-1900m), Lightspeed (1000m-1300m), Maverick Madame (1400m-1600m), Lord Martec (800m-1300m) and You Too Brutus (1200m-1600m).
Gold Rocks, surprisingly, has little line breeding within her first six generations. She is 4 x 6 to Star Kingdom, 6 x 6 to Native Dancer and 6 x 6 to Raise A Native.
But, not surprisingly, these double crosses have a total emphasis on speed.
Star Kingdom, a high-class sprinter in England, became Australia's greatest source of speed and sired the first five winners of the Golden Slipper Stakes; Native Dancer won at his nine US starts at age two, when he was both Eclipse Award champion and equal Horse Of The Year and Raise A Native won at his only four starts, all at age two, when he broke or equalled three track records.
Gold Rocks's 3 3 /4 length win in an excellent 58.61sec shattered a theory that early season two-year-olds cannot win in the same week they have barrier trialled. She won a 600m trial by 5 3 /4 lengths in 35sec. the previous Monday. Laugh Lines, second on Saturday, had won the previous heat in 36sec.
Gold Rocks will be the testing material for all of Perth's early comers.

ORATORIO- FIRST RUNNER-FIRST WINNER!

Oratorio had his first runner and more notably his first winner, when Gold Rocks raced in the first two year old race of the season at Belmont Park on 11/10/08.

In an effortless 4 length win, Gold Rocks showed the precocity her sire, Oratorio, showed as a two year old. Trainer, Peter Giadresco has high hopes for the filly, setting her for the Karrakatta Plate.

This looks to be just the beginning of great things from the Oratorio stock. His yearlings were very well received and placed with the leading WA trainers and we have had nothing but positive feed back from breakers, owners and trainers alike.

Oratorio has taken his last mares for the 2008 season and is now fully booked.

Oratorio's - Out and Running

PICTURED - ORATORIO

They look like runners, are bred to be runners and guess what?? They are out and running!!!

Mungrup Stud (WA) Stallion ORATORIO (Stravinsky) had his first 2 year old trial runner today Monday 6^th October at Belmont with instant success!!

The 2 year old filly named Gold Rocks led from start to finish over the 600 metre journey. Jumping from an inside barrier she led easily from the start. Having a few looks around over the first furlong as youngsters often do, she then settled down to the task at hand and disposed of the other runners winning by 5 ¾ lengths in 35 seconds. (a whole second faster than the other 600 metre trial of the day)

Trained in the South West by astute horseman Peter Giadresco, Gold Rocks only previous outing was a unofficial Bunbury jump out where she of accounted for a group of older horses by 8 lengths!!

Peter Giadresco commented "having broken in and educated a couple of the Oratorio progeny, I'm really impressed, they seem natural racehorses, they learn quickly and show an enormous amount of early speed" "she (Gold Rocks) is a really exciting filly, we have always liked her and decided to bring her to town today to test her out" "we will now head towards one of the first 2 year old races of the season with her and on ability she looks sure to be competitive"

Gold Rocks is the third foal of Luskin Star mare Alozie. Alozie has had two foals to race, both of those winners and it certainly looks like it won't be long before she extends that record and has three for three.

ORATORIO, the speed machine himself has been well received at stud and in the sale ring covering wonderful books of mares each season and has 2 year olds in all the states leading stables.

ORATORIO has a limited number of bookings available for the coming 2008 season.

For further details call Mungrup Stud on 08 9853 2103 or call Grant Burns on 08 9277 9644 or 0410 683 470.

IT'S ALL POSITIVE.

Pictured: Danehill Express.

Like the true professional he is in all aspects, our exciting new first season sire Danehill Express has been receiving "positive" news the past couple of weeks.By that we mean positive pregnancies, of his first 16 mares covered he has returned 15 positive results....not bad for a new kid on the block.An exciting stallion prospect taking it all in his stride, Danehill Express continues to be the ultimate professional in everything he does!

For those of you who don't know, if you look in any dictionary you will find:Oratorio; "An Oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists"If any of you have ventured to trackwork around the state in the past few weeks, you will have thought many of the states leading trainers had turned musicians themselves!! Constant singing by them all, almost in harmony, they have all been singing the praises of the Oratorio two year olds.We eagerly await the two year old season ahead, not that Oratorio himself has time to be checking up on his siblings......he has been busy again this season with a good sized book and a number of early pregnancies already this season. His book is filling fast and a limited number of nominations are still available in 2008.

Not to be outdone Comfy (Lear Fan) has his first crop of two year olds ready to hit the track this season as well. On Monday 22^nd September saw Comfy have his first trial runner here in WA. The filly named Southern Comfort produced a nice trial over 600m at Belmont working to the line in a group with the rest of the field. A Stakes Winning two year old himself, Comfy may prove to be the "smokey" amongst the first season sires here in WA.

The 25^th of September was a big day for former Mungrup stallion Kenvain (Kenmare-Dancelot, by Vain) who recorded 4 winners on the 8-race card at Northam: Kennity (ex Vanity Rose), Cape Leeuwin (ex Muthaiga), Rita's Pearl (ex Miss Conquistador), and Kender (ex Tender Smile) were all winners for the ill fated stallion and we congratulate the connections of all those winners.

SPRING IS IN THE AIR...........

Pictured: Laura Williamson with Lacher and her Due Sasso foal in the glorious sunshine

In perfect sunshine the covering season began this week and is now in full swing at Mungrup.

We are pleased to report that "Danehill Express" has taken to his new role in the breeding shed like a ‘duck to water'.The support from a large number of breeders has ensured his book has been full for several weeks and will see him cover a quality book of over 100 mares this season.

"Oratorio" has his first 2 year olds in training with all of the states leading stables. A wonderful prospect at stud he was the hottest first season sire seen at the Perth sales for many years. His progeny sold up to $130,000 and averaged just shy of $50,000...... nearly 10 times service fee. This saw Oratorio rank as the ‘Number 1' first season sire in Australia by return on service fee!!! (ahead of Fastnet Rock, Elvstroem, Al Maher and many other high profile stallions)Precocious types, and highly sought after by all the leading buyers at the sales Oratorio represents great value at a fee of $5,500 +GST. His book is filling fast and a limited number of nominations are still available in 2008.

The first foals of Scenic horse "Due Sasso" are arriving and we could not be more impressed. Good looking foals, they have great scope, good structure and presence with all the quality of their sire.Due Sasso stands this season at Touchstone Farm in association with Mungrup Stud and we can offer clients a great deal to breed to him in 2008.

"McFlirt" just keeps producing winner's week in week out and he has now sired the winners of close to $1.5 million on the track. McBuster (9 wins) and McLurch (8 wins) are both tough city winning horses who are performing well by the sire. Bookings are still available to McFlirt for this season.

We also have bookings available to our other resident sires for the coming season: "Comfy" "Right Wing" "Eternity Range" and "Stormy's Son"

First Due Sasso foal.

Recently at Mungrup Stud we had the first Due Sasso foal. A Bay Filly from the mare Halo No, who bears a striking resemblance to her father. Due Sasso will begin his second season at stud at Touchstone Farm.