Barney Roy keeps Sun shining as global domination beckons

Hong Kong-owned, Australian-based operation Sun Stud sprang to international prominence last year as the owner of wide-margin Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner National Defense and as a big purchasing power at sales in both hemispheres, and its run of success has continued into 2017 as it is the breeder of Saturday’s impressive Greenham Stakes winner Barney Roy, now a leading fancy for next month’s 2,000 Guineas.

Sun Stud bought Eliza Park International in 2013 and at the end of the year it purchased Alina, an unplaced daughter of Galileo and Group 3 winner Cheyenne Star, for 65,000gns at the Tattersalls December Breeding-Stock Sale.

Barney Roy, a first-crop son of Excelebration, is the mare’s first foal. He was sold as a foal at Tattersalls for 30,000gns and resold to Peter and Ross Doyle for £70,000 as a yearling at Doncaster.

“It was exciting to see his return to racing,” said Sun Stud’s bloodstock adviser David O’Callaghan. “He showed on his first start that he was above average - you hope they will come on again at three and he couldn't have been more impressive. It looks as though the mile will be perfect for him in the Guineas.”

Saturday’s success means that a cross-Channel Guineas double looks a real possibility for the stud with National Defense, who finished second to the impressive Al Wukair on his reappearance, due to contest the French equivalent in mid-May.

“Criquette was delighted with his run first time out,” said O’Callaghan of the son of Invincible Spirit, a €280,000 Arqana yearling purchase by the stud. “He’s taken plenty of benefit from the race and will appreciate stepping up to the mile. He has developed into a lovely horse and we’re looking forward to the French 2,000 Guineas.”

Sun Stud has retained the two-year-old Dark Angel half-sister to Barney Roy, named Wisdom Mind and in training in Chantilly with Criquette Head-Maarek.

“Wisdom Mind is in work at the moment and is going along nicely,” said O’Callaghan. “Criquette is very happy with her progress and feels she will more than likely be a back-end two-year-old, but the next month will tell us more.”

O’Callaghan said that Alina had not yet been covered this year and that a decision would be made on who she will be visiting imminently, and that she has a yearling filly by Kodiac and a “very good-looking” colt foal by Free Eagle at foot.

Sun Stud is also the owner of the dam of another blue-chip northern hemisphere three-year-old, having bought Inventive, a daughter of Dixie Union who is the dam of last year’s wide-margin Del Mar Futurity winner Klimt, for $80,000 at Keeneland.

O’Callaghan reported that Inventive produced a Tapit filly to southern hemisphere time in Australia last year and returned to Kentucky this year to be mated with Medaglia D’Oro to northern hemisphere time, and is safely in foal.

Sun Stud is enjoying success at home as well as away, too, with exciting young stallions Fiorente and Magnus on its roster in Victoria and dual Group 1 winner Palentino set to join it this year. Global domination looks a distinct possibility.