Breeding and Bloodstock

Australian Olly Tait has been instrumental in the emergence of Qatari outfit Wathnan Racing which could have more than 50 runners at this week’s prestigious Royal Ascot meeting.

Newhaven Park’s Cool Aza Beel became the first sire-son descendant of Zabeel to produce a Group 1-winning two-year-old from his first crop. Run The Numbers looks at the ongoing influence of the Zabeel sireline, as well as a prodigious damline influence in Cool Archie’s JJ Atkins win.

In today's Rowe on Monday, Jen Fowler reveals a remarkable backstory to a well-received Great Southern Sale result, high-priced Yulong filly makes an immediate impact and Australian racing's heavy-hitters will be out in force at Royal Ascot.

Hidden Achievement has criss-crossed the Tasman in the past 12 months on his way to becoming one of the favourites for the $1 million JJ Atkins.

The death of champion sire Snitzel shone a light on his remarkable legacy, which includes 1281 winners, 160 stakes winners, 103 Group winners and 23 individual Group 1 winners, with still three racing crops to come. But who were his best progeny on the track? Here’s The Straight’s Top Five.

Four-time champion stallion Snitzel has died after the rising 23-year-old’s health deteriorated in recent weeks. Arrowfield’s John Messara believes the versatile stallion will leave a lasting legacy.

Neck-deep in rising floodwaters to save his broodmares and newly weaned foals, Craig Ruttley feared the worst. But the principal of Glenthorne Park Thoroughbreds says he is one of the lucky ones among the devastation left by last month’s floods in the mid-north coast of NSW.