Stallion Station - Newsletter Aug08-P1

August 2008 - Vol 28

Courage joins Stallion Station Roster

The former champion New Zealand pacer Courage Under Fire, who has previously stood at Nevele R Stud, Christchurch, is to do stud duty at Stallion Station this season.

Courage Under Fire is slated to stand one season only in Victoria at the discounted service fee of $4000 plus GST. He has already arrived at the breeding facility and is settling in well to his new surroundings.

The stallion's owner Greg Brodie said he was delighted to make Courage Under Fire accessible to Victorian breeders.

"When I was approached by Stallion Station I thought is was a very good opportunity for Courage to tap into a different pool of broodmares. He was always exceptionally popular when he raced in Australia," Brodie said. "Additionally, Australia has not had the opportunity before of having the In The Pocket, Christian Cullen, Courage Under Fire bloodlines."

Stallion Station principal Gary Lyons said: "We are proud to be able to offer such a wonderful stallion to Australian breeders. He was a great racehorse and is proving an exceptional sire from his first three crops. We believe he's the best value-for-money sire in the Southern Hemisphere."

With his oldest stock as four-year-olds, Courage Under Fire has shown up as an emerging siring talent with seven Group 1 performers, six Group or Listed winners and 95 individual winners. His progeny have won more than $2 million in stakes to date with nine $50,000 and five $100,000 plus earners, as well as 30 in 2:00 or better.

"Courage" finished fifth on the all-aged Siresí list in New Zealand with progeny earnings of $1.1 million and was ranked in the Top Ten on both the two and three-year-old lists.

Among his best NZ bred winners have been Days Of Courage 1:56.9 ($186,617), winner of 11 races including the Listed Northern 3YO Stakes and a multiple Group 1 placegetter, Eyecatcher Courage 1:56.6 ($160,329), winner of the NZ Sires Stakes 3YOChampionship, Cosmic Under Fire 1:57.9 ($136,320), the winner of the Victorian Caduceus Club Cup and Enduro, Itz Cherry Ripe 1:58.7 ($113,392), winner of the Caduceus Club 2YO Filliesí Classic, the Queensland Derby placegetter Im Full Of Fire 1:58.5, a smart Victorian filly in Gilt Bromac 1:58.4, Port Courage 1:59.4 and Sweet Courage 1:59.2.

World record to Artistic Fella

Artistic Fella, a five-year-old son of the Cam Fella horse Pacific Fella, set a fresh world record for a mile and one sixteenth, when he won the $250,000 US Pacing Classic final in 1:56.2 at The Meadowlands on July 26. He won as he liked by 3½ lengths.

After reaching the lead just before the 54.4 first half, Artistic Fella survived a challenge from Western Shore up the back straight and then powered away from the top class field which included Mr Feelgood, Total Truth and Western Ace.

Artistic Fella World Record

"He's as good as any horse I've ever driven and probably the best older horse," driver Tim Tetrick said. "I called on him at the top of the stretch and he responded; he was great and he's at the top of his game, never seen him better."

A fortnight earlier Artistic Fella beat all but Mister Big in a truly memorable $600,000 William R. Haughton Memorial at The Meadowlands in 1:49.

Out of an Artsplace mare, Artistic Fella has amassed lifetime earnings of $2,396,855, of which $729,580 has been earned in 2008 - a seasonal high for an aged pacer.

Artistic Fella is not the only Pacific Fella flying the flag for his sire in North America, however. The three-year-old Determined Lady captured a $48,807 heat of the New York Sires Stakes at Yonkers in 1:56.6, My Fella (7YO gelding) scored at The Meadowlands in 1:50.2 and the five-year-old Pacific Philly won a $35,000 race at Harrah's Chester in 1:51.2.