The Oaks Stud’s ever consistent sire Darci Brahma has had another season to remember, highlighted by the emergence of star 3YO Catalyst, along with a host of other horses who have performed at black type level for their owners.

Catalyst was a dominant winner of the New Zealand 2000 Guineas in November, but the race was also a special feat for Darci Brahma who not only sired the winner but also the 2nd placed horse, Harlech, providing a rare Group 1 quinella for the sire who was himself a winner of the 2000 Guineas back in 2005.

Catalyst added further black type to his pedigree page this season when winning the Gr 2 Hawkes Bay Guineas, the Gr 3 ARC Mr Tiz Trophy, the Gr 3 Whangarei RC Northland Breeders Stakes and the Listed El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy at Hastings.

Prior to his 2nd placing in the 2000 Guineas, Harlech was a Gr 2 winner at Te Rapa when taking out the Waikato RC James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes.   Bred and sold by The Oaks Stud, he also ran 2nd in the 2020 Gr 1 Levin Classic and looks a horse to follow next season.

Other horses to fly the flag for Darci Brahma at black type level this season have included the Group 3 winners Kali (Ashburton RC John Grigg Stakes), Dee And Gee (Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup),  Paint The Town Two - a Group 3 winner in Australia, and Full Of Beauty who became his 40th Stakes winner when winning at Group 3 level in Hong Kong.   

He has also been represented by several Listed winners including Sergent Blast, The Precious One and Sinarahma.

On 31st August last year, Darci Brahma showed his versatility by siring six winners in a day, headlined by Catalyst’s win in the Listed El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Trophy at Hastings, something few stallions have achieved during their stud careers.

A sire of 10 Group 1 winners to date, Darci Brahma’s progeny have performed at the elite level in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong and he has been the Champion Sire in Singapore on no less than six occasions.

Darci Brahma stands at The Oaks Stud in 2020 at the unchanged fee of $15,000 + GST.

Standing alongside Darci Brahma next season will be his regular barn mates, Niagara & Roc de Cambes, both for an unchanged fee of $5,000 + GST each.

From limited race day runners, Niagara has made an impressive start to his stud career.  Niagara is the sire of the very promising Beyond The Fort, who ran 2nd in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks at only her third start, along with Xbox, a winner of the Group 2 Waikato Guineas, now racing in Hong Kong as Precious Express.

Niagara has had 21 raceday starters in Australia for 15 winners of 30 races, and has sired a total of 56 winners worldwide from 107 runners.

Roc de Cambes, the sire of Group 1 winners He’s Our Rokkii (MRC Toorak Handicap) and Vin de Dance (ARC New Zealand Derby), completes The Oaks Stud stallion roster for 2020.

Roc de Cambes has been well represented by several promising horses this season including

Listed winner Seven Seas (Taranaki RC Oaks Prelude) and Rock In the Park who will both resume in the Spring.