The proof is in the numbers
Maurice's first three crops have established him as a Group 1 sire in Australia and his next three will turbo-charge his Southern Hemisphere stud career. (PHOTO: Joan Faras)
Maurice offers Australian & New Zealand breeders an exceptional opportunity in 2024: to use a proven Group 1 sire with large numbers of his best-bred progeny in the pipeline, at a fee that’s 33% lower than his peak fee.
We’ve been here before. Three years ago we alerted breeders that the big lift in both the numbers and quality of Dundeel’s 2020 and 2021 crops would turbo-charge the next stage of his career. And indeed they have. Those two crops – still only 3YOs & 2YOs – generated more than $38 million at yearling sales, sold up to $1.7 million and have already produced multiple Group 1 winners Militarize & Celestial Legend at the head of 14 stakes performers. Dundeel was among Australia’s top 10 premiership sires in 2022/23, he’s there again this season and he’s still rising.
Maurice is now in almost exactly the same position as Dundeel was in 2021.
Let’s look first at what Maurice has already achieved with his first 3 crops bred at GST-inclusive fees of $33,000 and $27,500.
His first, 2018 crop of 81 foals produced 57 winners and 11 stakes performers (six earning black type at two at a rate of 18% 2YO SP/R), headed by three-time Group 1 Classic winner Hitotsu, Group 1 sprinter Mazu and dual Group-placed Ausbred Flirt.
Maurice maintained his 12% Stakes Performers/Foals strike rate with his 66-foal 2019 crop, so far the source of 37 winners and 8 stakes performers including Group winners Bank Maur & Kibou, Listed winner Noah ‘N’ A Deel (also 3rd, Queensland Oaks G1) and 5 other Stakes Performers, 4 of them at Group level.
Maurice’s 53-foal 2020 crop has thrown Group-winning filly Genzano, 2YO stakeswinners Azula and Namesake and 3YO Listed winner Ganbare (also 3rd, Spring Champion S. G1), as well as city winners Mauricio, Some People Callme, Cosmic Crusader & Home James – all from just 46 runners to date.
Star performers from Maurice’s first three crops
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Maurice missed the 2020 Australian breeding season, so he does not have a 2021 crop (current 2YOs).
Next, let’s compare Maurice’s first 3 crops (2018, 2019, 2020) with his 2022, 2023 & 2024 crops.
Group 1-winning dams of Maurice’s current yearlings, weanlings and foals due this Spring include:
| Abbey Marie (twice) Aristia Dreamaway Fenway (twice) Hollow Bullet |
Kahma Lass Media Award Miss Match Never Been Kissed Oohood |
Perfect Reflection Shoals Stormy Lucy Toffee Tongue Yearning |
* including Autumn Angel, Bonneval, Celestial Legend, Hinged, Hitotsu, Magic Time, Profondo, Savy Yong Blonk, Shoals, Stronger, Sunshine In Paris & Tuvalu.
Finally, we focus on Maurice’s 119 rising 2YOs, out of 26 Stakes Performers, 13 Group winners, 20 Stakes Producers.
36% of the dams of that crop are 2YO winners or 2YO producers already, while 55% of the crop are the first, second or third foal of the mare.
Those rising 2YOs, sold for up to $600,000 at yearlings, will race from the stables of:
Annabel Neasham, Blake Ryan, Brad Widdup, Ciaron Maher, Danny O’Brien, Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, Gary Portelli, Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou, Greg Hickman, Joe Pride, John O’Shea, Kelly Schweida, Ken Keys, Kim Waugh, Kris Lees, Lloyd Kennewell, Matt Cumani, Matt Dunn, Michael Freedman, Mitch Freedman, Nick Ryan, Steven O’Dea & Matthew Hoysted, Simon Miller, Stuart Kendrick, Will Clarken etc.
