History has shown that champion sires traditionally leave outstanding high-class broodmares, and New Zealand’s legendary sires Zabeel (NZ) (Sir Tristram) and O’Reilly (NZ) (Last Tycoon) are the perfect exemplars.
Hailing from top nurseries in New Zealand, both Zabeel and O’Reilly established themselves as Group One-winning racehorses and champion stallions in New Zealand, Australia and further afield.
Cambridge Stud’s Zabeel was awarded the Dewar Stallion Trophy an impressive 15 times, the Grosvenor Award four times and the Centaine Award in 2009-10. He was named Champion Sire twice in Australia, while also being voted Champion Broodmare Sire multiple times in both countries.
The illustrious sire is the Damsire of 1983 individual winners, including 189 at black-type level. With 38 Group One winners produced by Zabeel’s daughters, his worldwide earnings as a Damsire have reached over A$247 million.
O’Reilly, who was born, raised, raced and bred at Waikato Stud, was crowned Champion Sire in New Zealand and Hong Kong. He won the Dewar Stallion Award three times, the Grosvenor Award four times and the Centaine Award three years in a row.
Having sired 13 individual Group One winners himself, he is beginning to advertise his effectiveness as a broodmare sire and his ability in this domain is highlighted with his daughters producing seven individual black-type winners in Australia last season alone (11 collective stakes wins).
O’Reilly’s best performed son Sacred Falls (NZ) is continuing his legacy and symbolically took up residence in O’Reilly’s old box at Waikato Stud.
At Karaka 2019, there will be 77 lots out of Zabeel mares and 87 lots out of O’Reilly mares.
