Speed-on-speed attracts breeders and buyers in the modern-day market and Vinery Stud sire Headwater has both in spades.
Powerful and precocious, Headwater is by pre-eminent speed sire Exceed And Excel from River Dove, who won Caulfield’s ultimate speed test - the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate. They don’t breed them any faster and Team Hawkes bought Headwater for $500,000 at the 2014 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
He hit the ground running to dispatch some smart juveniles on debut at Moonee Valley. “He was never out of second gear,” Wayne Hawkes beamed. “This horse is a real professional and has shown us plenty of talent right from the start.”
Headwater then turned the Gr.2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) into a procession at Rosehill. Promoted to favouritism for the Gr.1 Golden Slipper, Headwater got to the front in the straight – just like Excel And Excel in 2003 – before going down a length and change.
Back for his final campaign as an Autumn 3yo, the colt responded with a brilliant victory against older sprinters in the Kensington Stakes (L, 1000m) at Flemington. He clocked a slick 56.90s down the straight to defeat Gr.1 Newmarket Hcp winner The Quarterback.
Vinery general manager Peter Orton was quick to point out Headwater lived right up to his pedigree. “He’s a really exciting prospect given the speed in his pedigree and the speed he showed at an early age.”
Headwater was immediately popular with breeders and covered full books of quality mares in his first three seasons.
His first crop weanlings were met with excitement and support at all the major sales in 2018. He was the leading first season sire by average and top price in book 1 at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale. He impressed the good judges immediately. “I liked Headwater at the Vinery parades and his foals were some of the best I saw in the Hunter Valley last year,” bloodstock agent Andrew Williams said after purchasing the Manju colt for $75,000.
At the Magic Millions National Weanling sale Headwater had a colt from The Carnival sell for $170,000 to James Bester. “I’m keen on Headwater. He was a top-class sprinter with a brilliant pedigree and our colt is a precocious type, too,” vendor Nick Nolan said about the colt.
Headwater’s first yearlings sell in 2019. He stands for a fee of $16,500 inc. GST.
