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This year has seen the rebranding of the
renown Lindsay Park Stud with a new name Cornerstone Stud. Sam Hayes
in partnership with Darren Thomas has established an outstanding stallion
line up of proven sires with Hussonet joining Good Journey as the 'senior'
stallions while Barely a Moment is starting to produce plenty of talent on
the track while the young stallions Shrewd Rhythm, Reaan and De Beers are
held in high esteem for the future.
Cornerstone
Stud is located on the area that was part of Tarrawatta next to Collingrove
Homestead - the land was still part of the huge area formerly owned by the
Angas family before being sold to Colin Hayes all those years ago in the
1960s and is steeped in history going back to when the area was first
settled in the 1940s. Just inside the gates of Cornerstone Stud is the
old Woolshed which was fully restored and is still used today and inside
that woolshed is the shell of the old Tarrawatta court house where there is
a trap door and evidence of the trials and hangings that occurred in the
early days. There are also a number few old buildings that still stand
looking solid but proved too costly to refurbish for modern use however
plenty of other buildings on the property have been including the stallion
boxes that how house the current roster of sires. Tarrawatta was used
as a horse stud as far back as the 1840s where two 'blood' horses (as
thoroughbreds were referred) and a Clydesdale and a Draught horse were
standing at public stud. The thoroughbreds were Satirist and an
English import Khian Kian Kruz.
The foaling
paddocks are currently quiet and empty in the picture below as are the mare
facilities but will be the centre of activity in a few months while a short
distance away the paddock nannies (many ex Hong Kong geldings) protectively
look over their small groups of weanlings in numerous paddocks.
Stallions
Hussonet (Mr Prospector-Sacahuista by Raja Baba)
Hussonet is a Mr Prospector stallion and was a rarity in that he didn't even
appear in Australia until 2003 when he was 13 years old. As a champion
sire in South America Hussonet was acqured to stand at Arrowfield Stud in
NSW and proved extremely successful siring Oakleigh Plate winner Eagle
Falls, Group 1 winner Gold Trail, Blue Diamond winner Reaan and champion 3yo
Weekend Hussler amongst his first two crops in Australia and has sired many
other winners in the crops that followed. Now rising 20 he has arrived
in South Australia in amazing condition with his looks no showing his age in
the slightest and Hussonet would be one of the best performed stud stallions
to have stood in South Australia for many years. He is standing for a
fee of $25,000.
Good
Journey (Nureyev-Chimes of Freedom)
Another sire with an interesting history is Good Journey started shuttling
to Australia in 2003 but was used as virtually a private stallion in
Victoria until 2007 when he was sent back to the US leaving behind a legacy
as breeders tried to obtain his services. He returned in 2008 to stand
at Lindsay Park stud and has continued to shuttle ever since. Good
Journey is the sire of 3 stakeswinners and 56 winners from 98 starters to
date including Sound Journey, Happy Trails, Grand Journey, etc. He is
from the sireline of Northern Dancer and stands at a fee of $11,000
Reaan (Hussonet-Ribe by Danehill)
Carrying a cross of two of the more influential sirelines of the modern era
Reaan won the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes defeating future Group 1 performer
All American (one of a handful of horses to defeat So You Think in
Australia). As a spring 3yo Reaan became very ill and spent time at
Werribee Vet Clinic before recovering to eventually return to racing in the
autumn. One more start saw retirement with a record of 8 starts for 3
wins and a second. His first foals are now rising 2yos and he stands
for a fee of $9900
Shrewd Rhythm (Danehill
Dancer-Balcanny by Canny Lad)
From the sireline of Danehill this stallion was a stakeswinner at 2 and
3 and a winner as a 4yo and was placed in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes as
a 2yo. Shrewd Rhythm retired to stud in 2010 and his first foals are
eagerly awaited this coming spring. Shrewd Rhythm stands for a fee of
$6050.
Barely A Moment (Gilded
Time-Lady Danna by Danehill)
Barely a Moment won three Group 1 races including the Toorak Hcp and was
second in the Group 1 Salinger stakes where he injured a tendon that
ultimately resulted in his retirement to stud. He currently only has
two crops of racing age including the stakesperformers Life is a Cabernet
and Zest a Second plus many other winners. Barely a Moment stands for $6050.
De Beers (Quest for
Fame-Chimera by Danehill)
De Beers was an outstanding 3yo winning the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas before
running second in the AJC Derby. From the dam line of Diamond Lover
(half sister to Octagonal, Kaapstad, Our Marquise, etc) De Beers is from the
family of Don Eduardo, Viscount, Commands, Viking Ruler, etc. Retired
to stud in 2008 his first crop are currently rising 2yos. De Beers
stands for $4950.
Fraar
Fraar is now retired from breeding but as can be seen in the photos below he
is still looking well for his age. He is now 23 years old and won the
1993 Caulfield Cup before running second in the Mackinnon Stakes and
midfield in the Melbourne Cup. At stud he sired 7 stakeswinners
including Nina Haraka plus many many winners of 2yo races, sprinters,
stayers and even successful jumps horses such as the Grand National Steeple
winner Liquid Lunch.
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