BUSHRANGER JOINS ELIZA PARK ROSTER

Exciting Irish stallion, BUSHRANGER, will head to Victoria this spring following Eliza Park’s decision to purchase a 50% interest in the Champion 2YO.

Standing the stallion in conjunction with Ireland’s Tally-Ho Stud, which actually bred Bushranger and stood his sire, Danetime, Eliza Park is ecstatic at the opportunity to launch the Australian career of this dual Group One winner.
Like that other famous bushranger of Irish heritage, Eliza Park’s acquisition is game, is strong and is fast. Very fast!
Bushranger would break the race record for the prestigious Prix Morny-G1 at Deauville … an event first staged in 1865. Ominously, Bushranger shares the Prix Morny honour roll with Champion Sires, Blushing Groom, Irish River, Machiavellian and Zafonic.
Crossing the Channel, Bushranger would then win the Group One Middle Park Stakes, breaking Oasis Dream’s record for the six furlongs at Newmarket.Not just the fastest Middle Park of all time – the fastest six furlongs EVER at one the world’s most elite racecourses.
Even quicker than July Cup winners Oasis Dream (England’s boom sire who defeated Choisir in a thriller), Stravinsky, Royal Academy, Green Desert and Anabaa.
Not surprisingly, Bushranger would be crowned Champion 2YO of England and Champion 2YO of France.
“We are delighted to have Bushranger back at Tally-Ho,” Tony O’Callaghan, principal of Tally-Ho Stud, enthused. “We sold him as a yearling and he went on to become a dual Group One winner at two – breaking long standing records in both.
“Bushranger is clearly the most exciting prospect going to stud in Ireland this year and I’ve never seen so much demand for a new horse. He’s certainly as popular as Danetime at his peak and breeders see real value in this stallion.
“What’s more, he could not have gotten off to a better start.”
Although Bushranger made his considerable mark on British and European tracks, his sire Danetime – one of Danehill’s most successful shuttlers – is certainly no stranger to local racegoers.
The Champion First Season Sire of Europe, Danetime covered just three crops in Australia, but produced 18 stakes horses and a massive 71% winners to runners.
Only last week, his Group One winning son, Megatic, won the Grandstand Stakes-LR in Perth.
Despite his relatively short time at stud, Danetime would produce 27 black type (3 Group One) winners and 46 stakes horses overall.
Danetime is sorely missed on both sides of the equator, prompting highly respected industry commentator, Tony Morris to say: “Danetime’s early demise was a significant loss. He possessed the valuable gift of upgrading his mares.”
Now it’s Bushranger’s turn and Eliza Park’s General Manager Operations, David Somers, is convinced the stallion can pick up where his sire left off.
“He (Bushranger) had a very similar racing action to Danetime. The way he stretched out – especially when challenged – is indicative of his big heart and ability,” Somers points out. “It’s hard to go past a Danehill line sprinter these days and it’s unlikely that any Champion 2YO coming to Australia – and a Newmarket track record holder at that – has stood at such a lucrative fee.”
Bushranger will stand this season at a fee of $11,000 inc. GST with a live foal guarantee and no payment of service fee until 31 March 2011.
For further information phone David Somers on 0428 440 330, Mark Lindsay on 0416 334 338 or Phil Marshall on 0407 853 782.