Menari becomes the latest son of champion sire Snitzel to stand at Newgate Farm

Menari, a Group 2-winning son of Snitzel, will join the Newgate Farm roster for the upcoming breeding season, where he will stand for an introductory fee of A$27,500.

The four-year-old will become the fourth son of the dual champion sire to stand at Newgate Farm, joining first-season sire Wandjina, second-season stallion Sizzling and Russian Revolution, who, like Menari, will cover his first book of mares this spring.

“We are committed to standing the very best and fastest sons of champion sires and Menari, an incredibly brilliant son of Snitzel, certainly fits this mould. He is the horse that we have consistently rated as the most talented colt of his year and the most desirable stallion prospect of his generation,” said Newgate Farm general manager Bruce Slade.

Slade told ANZ Bloodstock News that Newgate had already had a good response from breeders about the late addition to their exciting roster: “We have been talking to breeders and he is the kind of horse that has been held in such high regard after his special wins and special performances and we quite genuinely have really high hopes for him.

“We do a lot of speed analysis work before we stand them and his told us that he was in the top bracket of his generation. Although he didn’t win a Group 1, he showed up a couple of times and showed he was a special talent.

“With him being a son of Snitzel, you can’t get too much of a good thing. When John Messara set up Arrowfield he stood Danzero, Flying Spur and of course Redoute’s Choice, who are all sons of Danehill, and they all went on to be very successful sires and we are confident that Snitzel will turn out to be a great sire of sires.”

Slade said Newgate will be supporting Menari, as will its partners SF Bloodstock, China Horse Club, and Kingstar Farm in addition to Corumbene Stud’s George Altomonte, who bred Menari and will retain a significant portion of the horse.

“Menari is a machine. He’s got the blood, looks and blinding speed. He’s what Australian breeding is based upon. Exceptional talent breeds exceptional talent,” said China Horse Club’s Michael Wallace.

Slade added: “The partnership has committed some 60 mares to Menari this season, comprising some of the most elite mares from each of their respective broodmare bands. Such is the belief we all share in this exceptional animal."

Menari was prepared by Snitzel’s trainer Gerald Ryan and showed his talent from day one, scoring a brilliant debut win at Randwick in January, which he subsequently followed up with a second place finish in the Group 3 Canonbury Stakes.

He continued to show his class, finishing fourth behind She Will Reign in the 2017 Golden Slipper Stakes, the first colt home that year.

When he returned in the spring, Menari put in a sparkling display to claim a high-class edition of the Listed ATC The Rosebud, beating Siege Of Quebec by a length and a quarter carrying 60.5 kilograms.

He cemented his elite status on his next start in the Group 2 Run to the Rose posting a quick time of 1:08.44, just 0.05 seconds off of All Our Mob’s Rosehill 1200 metre track record that has stood for more than 20 years.

On his final start, Menari finished third behind subsequent triple Group 1 winner and stablemate Trapeze Artist in the Golden Rose Stakes and was handed a slot for the $13 million The Everest before being forced to defect after sustaining a tendon injury.

Newgate is in the process of finalising Menari’s syndication, with a small number of shares available to outside breeders.

Menari retires the winner of three of his eight career starts, which saw him amass A$619,050 in career prize-money.

Out of Listed winner Isurava, Menari is a brother to the Gerald Ryan-trained and George Altomonte-raced Group 3-placed filly Sweet Ava.

Isurava is herself a sister to Group 2 Magic Night Stakes winner Ichihara and Silk Stocking Stakes winner Au Chocolat.

Menari’s second dam, the winning Cut A Dash, is a three-quarter sister to Whisked, who is the dam of multiple Group 1 winner Tie The Knot, Listed winner Hood and Listed Dulcify Handicap winner Dream Ballad.

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