Outstanding mare Verry Elleegant is proving to be a great advertisement for her New Zealand-based sire Zed.
Zed is currently serving his seventh season at Grangewilliam Stud with his profile rising to new heights thanks to Verry Elleegant's top class form.
While the sire of 10 stakes winners including G1 winner Survived, Zed's stud career has been on the up since Verry Elleegant claimed two G1 wins last season in Sydney in the Vinery Stud Stakes and the ATC Australian Oaks.
She added the G2 Hill Stakes at Randwick on Saturday to her record and is now set to contest the G1 WS Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on October 26.
First trained in New Zealand, Verry Elleegant won races at Ruakaka and Matamata before the sale of a majority share saw her transferred to the Darren Weir stable in Victoria last year.
She won the G3 Ethereal Stakes at Caulfield last spring for Weir but has been with the Chris Waller stable since the start of 2019 following Weir's banishment from racing.
Verry Elleegant's success has resulted in a resurgence in support for Zed among broodmare owners, his career at stud having fluctuated from a high of covering 168 mares in his first season to less than 50 mares in 2017.
The son of Zabeel will cover almost 100 mares this spring, his renewed popularity reflecting his current place on top of the New Zealand general sires premiership.
He is the hottest stallion in New Zealand, having sired 17 winners of 20 races including two stakes winners in the first two months of the current season to be leading the NZ premiership across the four key categories of wins, winners, stakes winners and prizemoney ($NZ460,292).
Last season Zed finished seventh on the NZ general sires table with a career best 37 winners plus four in Australia, figures he should surpass this season.
"He's flying and has gone straight to the top of the sires table in New Zealand," said Grangewilliam Stud's Mark Corcoran.
"His early crops are really starting to hit the track in good numbers. I think he's going to have a good season.
"By no means has he had the best mares but he's certainly starting to get a better quality of mare."
Verry Elleegant was bred from the Danroad mare Opulence, a dual winner and also the dam of six-time winner Verry Flash (Zed).
Zed is standing at Grangewilliam Stud with Derryn, The Bold One and Dial A Prayer.
Karaka graduate Brutal reaffirmed that he will be a valuable stud prospect after a classy first-up win in the G2 Premiere Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
The 4YO son of the late champion sire O'Reilly was having his first start since he won the G1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick in April, taking his record to five wins from eight starts.
Bought for $NZ220,000 at the 2017 Karaka Premier Sale, Brutal has earned more than $2.5 million – more than 11 times his purchase price – for the Hawkes stable.
"I said to the owners if he beats them he is the real, real deal," said Michael hawkes. ""He is just a pure athlete. He was there to be beaten, he's a superstar."
"He was a Doncaster winner at his seventh start and he's beaten some of the so-called best sprinters in the land at the moment."
Brutal (O'Reilly x Alberton Princess by Golan) was bred by Ruth Kerr-Taylor and Ann Storey and was offered in Mapperley Stud's draft at the 2017 NZB Karaka Premier Sale.
Brutal is a brother to the black type winner Talaria from the G3 placed winner Alberton Princess, a half-sister to the G2 winner Te Akau Rose (Thorn Park) and three-quarter sister to the G3 winner Lady Alberton.
The family also features the G3 winner Cavalry Rose (Charge Forward).
Brutal's value as a stud prospect is enhanced by him being from the last crop by Waikato Stud sire O'Reilly, who died in 2014.
