He’s back in Victoria!  Outstanding stallion Desert King arrived at Bombora Downs Stud last Wednesday evening – fit and well and ready to serve another high quality book of mares.

“It is great to have Desert King back with us,” said Julie Nairn who manages the accomplished son of Danehill’s southern hemisphere stud career.

“He is understandably popular with Australian breeders having done so well here and he is faring just as well in Japan now.”

Boasting good overall statistics of 58% winners-to-runners across both hemispheres, Desert King has been represented by no less than 503 winners. His Australian strike rate is even higher at 61% and he can sure get a good one – as his 26 stakes winners including the legendary Makybe Diva.

A stallion best known for siring that triple Melbourne Cup winner, Desert King is however no one horse stallion. He has sired six individual Gr.1 winners, four of those earning championship titles.

His progeny are better older but by no means test the patience – able to show form at two and really go on with it. This season in Japan all five of his juvenile runners have run into the money and they are bound to be all the better at three.

In the last 12 months Desert King has really been flying – 179 of his 224 runners (80%) being winners. And it must be remembered that he missed two Australian seasons (2003 and 2004) so whilst he might be a little quiet it is only a matter of time before another high class runner appears.

In fact there is one being prepared for spring – the Michael Kent trained Banana Man. Such a talented horse is that dual stakes winner that he was crowned Victoria’s Champion Country Racehorse having won two of the state’s biggest provincial events – the Listed Bendigo and Mornington Cups.

And one his first Victorian bred runners– Bedouin Express was an impressive winner at Morphettville recently.

“From every crop in every season that Desert King has stood in Australia he has delivered results,” said Nairn. “A proven stallion like Desert King must be a god-send for breeders in these uncertain times.”

Also worth noting is what a great start Desert King has made to his career as a broodmare sire. David Hayes has a high opinion of the in-form Eagle Falls, impressive winner of his last two at Flemington and Moonee Valley. A son of Hussonet set for black type races, he is out of the Randwick winning Desert King mare Desina.

Easily one of the best value stallions in Australia, Desert King stands the 2009 season at $9,900 with a new “flexi” free return on offer. One big fan is Gooree Stud’s Andrew Baddock – “from breeding to Desert King we are a mile in front,” he said – “he would have to be the best value stallion standing in Australia.”

Gooree sent High Heels, dam of the multiple Gr.1 winner Desert War, back to Desert King last spring and are excited about the imminent arrival of her foal.

Permalink| Aug 30, 2009

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