Missile Stakes Hard for Punters & Champion Proving a Dundeel at Stud

Hard Empire surprised plenty of punters when storming down the outside to win the feature at Randwick on Saturday, the Group 2 Missile Stakes.

Bought for $11,000 as a yearling, the now 9-year-old son of Hard Spun, has had 4 trainers in 4 different states since debuting in 2016. From Adam Trinder in Tasmania, to Darren Weir in Victoria, Richard & Chantelle Jolly in South Australia and now with Toby & Trent Edmonds in Queensland. While it was a surprise to many on Saturday, he does have a Group 3 victory to his resume in the George Moore Stakes at Doomben as well as a 4th placing in the Group 1 Goodwood at Morphetville back in 2019.

By American sire, Hard Spun, Hard Empire was purchased for $11,000 originally at the 2015 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale. Hard Spun stands at Darley America at Jonabell Farm in Kentucky. Over on our side of the world, the sire has produced the Group 1 winners in Le Romain and Gatting.

Hard Empire is out of Last Tycoon mare Last Quill. His damsire Last Tycoon was an Irish bred racehorse and has bred numerous big names in Australia and New Zealand, including champion sire O’Reilly, Iglesia the sire of Written Tycoon, Mahogany and Knowledge. Siblings of Hard Empire have raced in Australia such as full-brother Chippenham who was trained by Archie Alexander and won 6 races. Not A Problem (by Canford Cliffs) is still racing now and has won 2 races from his 15 starts for Allison Bennett in Moe.

Sire Dundeel has certainly made his mark at Arrowfield Stud in his time as a stallion so far. A winner of 6 Group 1 races on the racetrack, including the Spring Champion Stakes and Randwick Guineas beating fellow sire Proisir, Rosehill Guineas beating Sacred Falls, Australian Derby, Underwood Stakes and in his last ever start the Queen Elizabeth.

Dundeel joins the likes of So You Think, Contributer, Redwood, Wrote, Toronado, Tivaci and more as sons of High Chaparral that are either very successful stallions or showing signs that they will be in the future. Out of unraced Zabeel mare, Forreel, Dundeel was bred on the most successful cross with High Chaparral, producing 35 winners from 48 runners and 8 stakes winners.

Just like his father, Dundeel is producing not only champions of the track but potential stars of the breeding game. Multiple Group 1 winning Castelvecchio has joined his sire at Arrowfield Stud and from his few weanlings that have sold so far, he looks to continue the strong success at stud. Super Seth was purchased by Waikato Stud after winning the Caulfield Guineas in outstanding style. Super Seth’s first crop will debut at the yearling sales in 2023.

With the success of Dundeel as a sire, his progeny continue to sell well at yearling sales, averaging over $200,000 this season. Hawkes’ Racing went to $1.7 million to secure a filly by Dundeel at this year’s Inglis Easter Sale. Obviously very keen on the progeny, the Hawkes also went to $1 million to buy a colt by Dundeel, out of Honesty Prevails.