“Only the elite horses can win at Group 1 at their third start,” said trainer Cairon Maher of King Colorado in retiring to Widden Victoria, at Riddle’s Creek.
In taking out the prestigious JJ Atkins Stakes of 1600m at Eagle Farm in just his third race start, he was placed third in both the Gr3 Manfred Stakes and Gr3 CS Hayes Stakes.
‘In being beautifully bred,’ Widden says ‘he is a brilliant outcross stallion – completely free of Danehill, with Kingman having brilliant statistics in Australia siring 23 winners with 5 stakes horses.’
‘A son of the four-times Group 1 Champion 3YO Colt Kingsman, an elite son of Invincible Spirit with 11.4% stakes winners world-wide, and the second fastest sire in history with 50 stakes winners.’
‘Tracing to a world’s most influential mare in Falls Aspen, King Colorado is a Bay at 16.1hh, being from the More Than Ready stakes winner More Aspen, a grand-daughter of Gr 1 Northern Aspen.”
Always known as the Valley of Champions, this season it’s Widden Stud who stands the precocious juvenile Sweet Ride who was a stakes performer as a 2yo, 3yo and 4yo.
Described by Widden as ‘an attractive type, he has the racetrack credent and pedigree to make his mark at stud, and competed in the elite company his entire career,’
A precocious juvenile, Sweet Ride was a winner over 1100m at Rosehill Gardens in January, going onto to claim the Opalpreview at 1000m, and then second in the Pago Pago Stakes at 1200m.
At three he captured the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes of 1200m at Rosehill, as did Testa Rossa and General Nediym, and was placed in both Gr2 Roman Consul Stakes and Gr2 Run to The Rose
A Chestnut at 15.2hh, by the highly respected Deep Field, who was twice Champion Sire in Hong Kong, is the family of multiple Group 1 winer Metal Bender and NZ Oaks winner Amarelimha.
With Widden always being the Valley of Champions, its their ‘That Widden Feeling’ that highlights the 2023-24 Season as ‘a big thank you to all Widden supporters for another excellent season.’
Firstly, Widden celebrated their Group 1 glory with the $500,00 Easter Yearling Sale Zougotcha winning both the Coolmore Classic and Queen of The Turf Stakes, to add to her Flight Stakes.
Also, Climbing Star claimed the Robert Sangster Stakes before third in the Goodwood Handicap, while the 3yo Griff scored a hat-trick in the Exford Stakes, Stutt Stakes and Caulfield Guineas.
C’est Magique, Casino Seventeen, Schwarz, Facile, Tobeornottobe, Buenos Noches, It’sourtime all secures Group victories, with Clean Energy, First Immortal, Zou Tiger, Odinson in stakes races.
Of course, the celebrations are out with Trapeze Artist as Champion Australian Second Season Sire, with 45 winners of 66 races and over $6.6m in progeny earnings with Griff his Group 1 hero.
In addition, Group 3 victories for Ducasse in the Carbine Club and Facile, the PJ Bell at The Championships helped secure the title for Trapeze Artist over The Autumn Sun and Justify.
Trapeze Artist today is represented by 10 stakes performers and with his future success being reassured with 129 4YOs, 99 3YOs, 99 2YOs and 147 Yearlings to come through the ranks.
Second season sire Written By had impressive 39 winners with over $3m in prizemoney, having 2YO Group 2 Silver Slipper winner Straight Charge and stakes winner and Gr1 placed Ripcord.
Written By sold well at the sales too, with yearlings off a $24,750 service fee, hitting the mark at $700k, $400k, $330k, $260k, averaging $430k at Easter, and having 108 2YOs in 2024-25.
However, it’s the ‘legendary’ Zoustar who is an early leader of this season’s Champion Sires listing with Schwarz winning the Missile Stakes, he topped the ’23-24 season with 208 Winner, 17 Stakes Winners, 5 Group 1 winners and 65 3YO winner.
