The covering season commences tomorrow and among the newcomers is Geisel Park’s Group 1 performer Aysar who is standing at an introductory service fee of $8,800 (inc GST).
Aysar is a son of Champion sire Deep Field (Northern Meteor) and his half-brother Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) was fully booked first-up last year for a $110,000 fee at Coolmore Stud.
Their dam Miss Interiors (Flying Spur) is a half sister to boom sire Russian Revolution (Snitzel). His services have increased from $44,000 to $88,000 in three years at Newgate Farm.
Aysar is a top-class stud prospect in his own right and the feedback from Western Australian breeders has reflected the vision of Geisel Park owner Eddie Rigg. “Every successful farm is typically built around a really good horse and Aysar can build the Geisel Park brand to the level I want it to be.
“I decided to seek proper advice and engaged John Chalmers,” Rigg recalled. “He rang back and said he had found that horse. He went on and on about his pedigree and racing record without even telling me his name at first. I did some due diligence and realised if he was 0.4 of a length better he would be standing in the Hunter Valley for $50,000 or more.”
Aysar pictured parading with Geisel Park stud manager Conor Dunlop
Aysar was a 2yo and 3yo winner at Sandown prior to a neck second to Ole Kirk in the Group 1 Caulfield Guiness (1600m). “He looked the winner three times in the straight and Damian (Lane) rode him absolutely fantastic,” Lindsay Park co-trainer Ben Hayes claimed. “Aysar is all quality and today shows he’s a Group 1 class colt.”
Aysar trained on to win the LR Chautauqua Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley last season before being head-hunted for Geisel Park. “It’s a great result for WA, too,” Rigg said. “He’s bred to be a stallion and was originally purchased as a yearling by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum.”
Rangeview Stud’s Rob Gray reckons Aysar is a fantastic coup for the local industry. “He’s a very imposing specimen. He really took my eye at the Geisel Park stallion parades. We’re seeing lots of good stallions coming here since the Westspeed Platinum Scheme adjusted the way people are thinking and breeding. Aysar has got the blood and the looks and he could be the cornerstone.”
Two Filles Stud owner Nino Tufilli is another admirer of Aysar. His homebred mare My Bella Mae is also by Deep Field and she was a Listed winner of the Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) and Cyril Flower Quality (1200m) at Ascot last season.
My Bella Mae is prepared by Dion Luciani and has been nominated to begin her latest campaign in the $100,000 Jolly Beggar Stakes (1000m) at Ascot this Saturday.
“You look at Aysar’s pedigree and you can’t say no,” Tufilli admitted. “There are two stallions in his family already plus a long line of very successful broodmares. Most of my breeding to date has been over east but I’m more than happy to get involved with Aysar.
“John and Eddie have done a great job bringing him to Western Australia and he’s probably the best stallion standing here for a long time.”
Gold Front Thoroughbreds owners Alan and Sue Olive have their homebred sprinter Acromantula (Written Tycoon) being set for a Group 1 campaign in Melbourne and they also rate Aysar highly after seeing him parade at Geisel Park.
“He wasn’t long off the track and was still letting down but you could see where he was heading as a stallion,” Sue said. “He looks a good prospect and has all the right credentials. He will also cross with Danehill and we’ve already booked in three mares.”
For bookings or more information regarding Aysar, contact Geisel Park manager Conor Dunlop (0447 434 735), John Chalmers (0418 948 604) or Eddie Rigg (0418 942 304).
