Take a good look at Maurice
Already a high-performing sire in Australia, Maurice enters a new phase of his career with large crops bred at higher fees coming on stream. (PHOTO: Joan Faras)
It’s hard to believe how much Maurice has already achieved in Australia, given he’s barely past the launch phase of his career with significantly smaller representation than most of his contemporaries in the stallion Class of 2017.
This season marks a major change-up for Maurice who missed the 2020 season because of the covid pandemic. Standing at a reduced fee this season, he offers breeders an appealing opportunity as the first of his large crops bred on higher fees begins to race.
So, why Maurice in 2024?
- He was Australia’s Champion 2nd Season Sire in 2022, with 78 runners – fewer than half the runners of his nearest rival, and fewer than any other Champion 2nd Season Sire since 2015.
- He was top of the class again, as Australia’s Champion 3rd Season Sire in 2023 with fewer runners than the four stallions behind him, and fewer than any other Champion 3rd Season Sire from the past decade.
Other 21st century winners of that title include Redoute’s Choice, Snitzel, High Chaparral, I Am Invincible, Lonhro, Pierro, Pride Of Dubai, Sebring, So You Think & Zoustar. - He has better SW/Runners & Stakes Performers/Runners stats than his main rivals from the Class of 2017, with the exception of Extreme Choice.
- And in that same group, only Extreme Choice has sired more Australian Group 1 winners than Maurice, who is notable for his versatility as a sire at the elite level, with progeny success at 1200m, 1600m, 2400m & 2500m.
- He also has a better Stakes Performers/Runners stat (13.1%) than other stallions in the $40,000-$60,000 fee range including Capitalist, Pierro, Russian Revolution, Street Boss & Trapeze Artist.
- Maurice is a proven, effective outcross for mares by Danehill’s sons, but he has also sired stakeswinners out of mares by stallions from the Fairy King/Sadler’s Wells, Mr. Prospector & Sunday Silence sire-lines.
- He has 70% more foals, bred at $44,000, $82,500 & $82,500, in his 2022, 2023 & 2024 crops than in his first 3 crops.
- The dams of his current 2YOs, yearlings and foals arriving this Spring include 110 Stakes Performers, 53 Group winners and 15 Group 1 winners, among them Abbey Marie, Aristia, Dreamaway, Fenway, Kahma Lass, Media Award, Never Been Kissed, Oohood, Perfect Reflection, Shoals, Toffee Tongue & Yearning.
So – why not Maurice??
