New record price for Not A Single Doubt
It’s tempting to say that Not A Single Doubt’s new status as a boom sire has been conferred belatedly, because he’s been one of our most valuable and consistent sires for several seasons.
That said, he was initially something of a “slow burn” and, for a stallion renowned for getting precocious, readymade athletes, he was surprisingly tardy to post his first stakeswinners. His first-crop representative Doubtful Jack was almost four when he won the VRC Winter Championship Final LR in July 2010 and a month later 3YO Squamosa became his first Group winner.
Then his brilliant third-crop daughter Karuta Queen appeared, to waltz away with the 2011 Magic Millions 2YO Classic (R) LR and launch her $1.8 million career. It was as if the cork had popped out of the bottle, and Not A Single Doubt’s winners and stakeswinners have been flowing ever since.
He was 18th on the 2011 General Sires’ Premiership table, 13th two years later and last season cracked the top 10 with prizemoney of $7,014,757. This season he’s lengthened stride again and is already on $5.1 million, little more than $400,000 behind the deceased Street Cry and almost the same margin ahead of champion sire Fastnet Rock.
On the winners & wins list, Not A Single Doubt holds a clear lead with 91 winners of 125 races, ahead of Fastnet Rock, Written Tycoon, Lonhro & Choisir. He hit top gear in the Carnival period of October & November with 46 winners of 53 races including five new stakeswinners: Good Project (WATC Railway S. G1) & Let It Slip in Perth, and Secret Agenda, Don’t Doubt Mamma & his 11th juvenile stakeswinner, Jackson, all in Melbourne.
Not bad for a stallion that stood his first six seasons at a fee of $13,750 inc. GST! He is also mastering the sometimes difficult trick of lifting his game with the commerically appealing mares a higher fee usually commands. Not A Single Doubt’s two crops conceived on a fee of $24,750 inc. GST are now two and three and they have already thrown up 49 winners, six stakeswinners & six other stakes performers.
His fee was raised again, to $33,000 inc. GST in 2013. but on the evidence of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale, breeders who have used Not A Single Doubt at that level have nothing to worry about.
He had twenty-six lots sold in Books 1 & 2 for an average of $191,730 and Arrowfield’s stunning filly from Miss Sharapova smashed his previous sale record of $380,000 when she was knocked down to Tim Stakemire for $650,000. A few hours later, Twin Palms sold their filly out of Street ‘Em Sheila for $400,000 to Boomer Bloodstock.
In all, Not A Single Doubt had 10 lots sell for $200,000 or more and posted a median price of $160,000. Buyers included trainers Gai Waterhouse, Gerald Ryan, Tony Gollan, Mick Price, Robbie Griffiths, Lee & Anthony Freedman and Nick Olive; agents Blue Sky Bloodstock & Belmont Bloodstock; and international owners Shadwell Australasia, Sun Bloodstock, David Ellis & the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Not A Single Doubt’s 30 stakeswinners, headed by Miracles Of Life & Good Project, another 20 stakes performers and his 67% winners/runners strike rate all signal that he’s a fixed star, not a fleeting comet among Australian sires. As he hunts the coveted No. 1 spot on the General premiership, it’s also clear that his own constellation is far from completed yet.
Not A Single Doubt has six lots catalogued for next month’s Inglis Classic Sale, including Arrowfield’s grand-daughter of Group 1 winner Macedon Lady. Arrowfield will also offer a full brother to stakes-placed Perth winner Make Your Move and Hong Kong winner Winning Novel among Not A Single Doubt’s 7 lots for the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale.
