Fee hike for high-flying Showcasing as Havana Grey opening price unveiled

Whitsbury Manor Stud has upped the fee of its talented young sire Showcasing to £55,000 for the 2019 breeding season.

The son of Oasis Dream, who stood for £35,000 during the latest covering season, has enjoyed another fine year on the track, particularly with his juveniles. He added a new Group 1 winner to his CV when Advertise landed the Phoenix Stakes, while Soldier's Call took out the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes and Mohaather claimed the Group 3 Horris Hill Stakes.

Those results contributed to high levels of demand for Showcasing's yearlings at the sales, where his sons and daughters sold for an average of over £110,000 in Britain and Ireland. The latest round of auctions saw a new high mark set for a Showcasing yearling, with Mark Player going to €850,000 for the sister to Tasleet at the Goffs Orby Sale.

Commenting on the increase, the stud's director Ed Harper said: "This reflects his fantastic results at the sales and the considerable interest we have already had, whilst continuing our plan to limit his book."

Showcasing has been joined at Whitsbury Manor by Havana Grey, with the Group 1-winning son of Havana Gold's introductory fee set at £8,000.

"After a clean sweep of Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3 wins over five furlongs he can rightly claim to be the fastest horse from the Galileo sire line, which allows the perfect cross for the majority of speed-bred mares," said Harper.

Havana Grey (left) sprints clear in the Group 2 Sapphire StakesCredit: Caroline Norris

"He continues our strong tradition of standing fast, commercial stallions and I can't wait to show him off to breeders as he has the physique to match. A select number of breeding rights will be made available."

Adaay, who stands at Whitsbury Manor in partnership with Shadwell, has covered full books in his first two seasons, and will stand his third at £5,000, down from £6,000.

"We're confident his first foals will be very well received by the market but we're also keen to offer our clients the best possible value," added Harper.

Completing the four-strong roster is Due Diligence, who will be available at £4,000 during the year his first two-year-olds hit the track. The debut yearlings by the son of War Front sold for up to 95,000gns.

More stallion news:

Group 1-winning sprinter Havana Grey snapped up by Whitsbury Manor

Champion Cracksman to stand at Darley's Dalham Hall Stud in 2019