Super Seth’s five winners in Australia represents rare achievement

This article was written by Reene Geelen for TTR AusNZ.

Waikato Stud’s Super Seth has a unique achievement with his first crop. He is only the second New Zealand-based first season sire to make it onto the top 50 stallions on the Australian Champion 2YO Sire chart in the last 10 racing seasons in Australia.

Furthermore, he didn’t rely on a single high-earning winner to do so.

The only two to achieve this in a decade

In 2015/16, Pour Moi (Ire) made it onto the Australian 2YO Sires chart thanks to Sacred Elixir (NZ) who won the G1 JJ Atkins S. Pour Moi had four juvenile runners in Australia from his first crop.

In 2023/24, Super Seth has had 13 runners in Australia, and five of them have won seven races led by G3 TL Bailleau H. winner Linebacker (NZ) who ran second in the G1 Champagne S.

At home in New Zealand, he has also had 11 runners for three winners of five races led by Group 2-placed winner Poetic Champion (NZ) who has earnings over NZ$100,000 in his six starts at two.

“He’s had an amazing start. We identified him as a hell of an athlete, and it looks like he’s leaving horses just like himself. For him to have had so many winners in his first crop in Australia for a New Zealand-based sire is incredibly exciting for the future,” said Mark Chittick.

“We identified him (Super Seth) as a hell of an athlete, and it looks like he’s leaving horses just like himself.” – Mark Chittick

Just how rare is this achievement?

The rarity of this achievement is more than just being an overseas-based first-season sire. It’s incredibly rare for any overseas-based stallion to make it onto the top 50 of the Australian 2YO Sires chart regardless of when they went to stud. In the last 10 years, only nine individual stallions have achieved this and it’s a bit of a who’s who list of global stallion talent.

Table: Top 50 Australian 2YO Sires chart

Waikato Stud’s Champion Sire Savabeel achieved this is 2014/15 thanks to G1 Champagne S. winner Pasadena Girl (NZ), followed by Windsor Park Stud’s Pour Moi in 2015/16. For the next three seasons, only Australian-based sires made it into the top 50 of the Australian Champion 2YO Sire table.

The most successful year with three overseas sires

2019/20 was the most successful year for overseas-based sires with three big names making it onto the list with their Australian raced juveniles. In a season where Snitzel took out the title with 28 individual 2-year-old winners and juvenile earnings of over $4.7 million, Japan’s Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) finished in ninth spot. He had two runners and one of those was G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Tagaloa who now stands at Yulong Stud. Coincidentally Tagaloa’s first crop have just turned two as the 2024/25 season begins.

“Stallions with elite 2-year-old form themselves generally produce precocious progeny. We’re excited for what lies ahead for Tagaloa and delighted with the yards his first 2-year-olds have landed in,” said Yulong’s Vin Cox.

Siyouni (Fr) also had two 2-year-old runners in Australia in 2019/20, and one of them See You Soon earned just over $400,000 to put Siyouni into 41st on the table. See You Soon was a winner on debut, ran second in the $1 million Golden Gift, second in the G2 Reisling S. and third in the G2 Percy Sykes S.

Camelot (Ire) snuck onto the table in 48th place with two runners, one of whom was Russian Camelot who earned $325,000 as a 2-year-old before going on to win two Group 1 races later in his career. Arguably his earnings came as a 3-year-old since they came from the G1 South Australian Derby, and it really depends how the system determines his age since he is Northern Hemisphere born.

Recent high-achievers

Frankel (GB) earned his first spot on the Australian 2YO Sires list in 2020/21 finishing in 17th place with two runners led by G1 JJ Atkins Plate winner Converge. Siyouni made his second appearance on the 2021/22 chart thanks to Amelia’s Jewel who won over $400,000 in her juvenile season with being unbeaten in three starts in Perth.

The last two racing seasons have seen two overseas based sires hit the list. In 2022/23, New Zealand-based Per Incanto (USA) had four 2-year-old runners in Australia led by G1 Blue Diamond winner Little Brose (NZ), and Kingman (GB) enjoyed a Group 1 winner with King Colorado in the G1 JJ Atkins Plate.

In the season just concluded, the two overseas-based sires to feature are both New Zealand-based. It is a little surprising that more New Zealand-based sires don’t make this list, given the proximity and the number of yearlings born in New Zealand who are sold into the Australian market.

In 2023/24, Per Incanto had eight 2-year-old runners in Australia with his highest earner being Rue De Royale (NZ) who placed three times from seven starts including a second in the $2 million R. Listed Inglis Millennium, which formed the bulk of his earnings for the season.

Super Seth’s super season

Super Seth is the other, and as this article has progressed, it is obvious to see how rare it is for an overseas-based stallion to have enough runners in Australia to make any impact on the Australian 2YO Sires championship. The vast majority of overseas-based sires to feature have done so through one or two individuals who have stood out among their crop.

Super Seth’s winners for 2023/24 in Australia have spread the prizemoney between them which is another reason this achievement of his is noteworthy.

Linebacker has earned $351,000 this season with his two wins from three starts, while Feroce (NZ) won twice in Melbourne to earn over $110,000. In Brisbane, Savour The Dream (NZ) is a winner from four starts and has earnings over $57,000, while Super Seth’s other two Australian juvenile winners are Evenflow, who earned over $52,000, and Supernima (NZ) who won on debut in May to collect over $35,000 for the season.

Given that Super Seth himself improved from two to three, as did his sire Dundeel (NZ), then it would be logical to expect his progeny to do the same as we come into this new racing season.