Value in Victoria

Swettenham Stud has a powerful roster for 2014 and if you are an owner/breeder looking for real value in Victoria this spring they have two stallions that are going to prove hard to resist.

With his oldest progeny just turned four, former brilliant sprinter Kaphero has been a quiet achiever in the Victorian sire ranks finishing as the leading Victorian based second season sire by winners (19 winners) and also the leading Victorian based two year old sire by winners (7 winners).

His two year-old winners this season have really sparked interest in Kaphero as they include five metropolitan winners in Melbourne and Adelaide in Our Kaboom, Kapaulenko, Stingray, Patch Hero and Cool Hero.Given the lucrative Super VOBIS bonuses on offer, a sire that can produce his share of two year-old winners is always going to be popular and Kaphero is clearly going down that path.

A son of Golden Slipper winner Danzero from Group I STC Winfield Classic winner Kapchat, Kaphero is bred in the purple and as a racehorse showed the speed and toughness all breeders like to see in their produce.

With three wins from five starts at two headed by a success in the Listed MRC Blue Diamond Preview, Kaphero trained on as an older horse to win a further seven races highlighted by a Group III victory in the MRC McEwen Stakes.Priced at $5,500, he offers owner/breeders a great chance to grab a slice of those VOBIS bonuses that can make a handy horse into a serious money-spinner.

Also an attractive proposition at $8,800 is Group I winning Hussonet son Host (Chi), who tasted early success with high class three year-old Phillipi, winner of the Group II ATC Tulloch Stakes and Second in the Group I ATC Australian Derby. With three very small foal crops following his initial crop, Host has struggled to capitalize on his impressive early results, but has still sired 46 winners of $3.1 million including Group III placed Hosting, Northern Territory Derby winner Host of the Party and smart metropolitan winners such as Flying Hostess and Anfitriona. The current crop of yearlings by Host number 82 and were conceived off the back of Phillipi, so expect to see a real resurgence for Host as they progress to the racetrack. He covered a further 80 mares last spring, so the ball is well and truly rolling again for Host. For more information contact Chris Belli on 0417 514 552 chris@swettenham.com.au , Adam Sangster on 0418 543 633 adam@swettenham.com.au or Brian Gorman on 0429 660 266brian@swettenham.com.au