Dual Group1winner, Palentino, is poised to open the batting with the star line up of mares at Sun Stud this spring.

Retired to Sun Stud earlier this year, after a career which included victories in the Group1 Australian Guineas and the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes, the only horse, apart from the legendary Zabeel, to achieve the double – Palentino has caught the imagination of broodmare owners throughout Australia.

“We knew Palentino would be popular given his record, and the fact that he is an outstanding type, but the level of interest has been terrific,” Sun Stud’s Nominations Manager, Phil Marshall, enthused.

“Aside from the tremendous uptake of outside mares, Sun Stud will also be supporting the stallion heavily with our own broodmare band.”

Among the Sun Stud broodmares lining up for a date with Palentino, is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Pretty Perfect, from the$5 million mare Milanova, a Sadler’s Wells mare from a Group 2 two year old Langoustine, a half sister to the dam of this season’s two year old, Single Bullet, a half sister to Flemington Group 2 Vintedge, and stakes placed Hussonet mare, currently in foal to Vancouver.

Palentino winning the Makybe Diva Stakes G.1 defeating Black Heart Bart

Meanwhile Sun Stud have been quick to embrace Palentino, and among the broodmares coming off the farm is the winning Elusive Quality mare, Shabtis, a half sister to five time Group 1 winner Mummify, and the dam of Melbourne Group winner, Take Pride.

Owned by leading Victorian breeder, Don Byrne, who has bred several stakes winners including Encosta de Lago ‘s Group 1 winner, Ultra Fantasy, while Shabtis had her Written Tycoon colt sell for $530.000 at the 2017 Australian Easter Sale Yearling Sale, and the weanling full sister made $235,000 at the Great Southern Sale.

“There’s a great deal to like about Palentino, “ Don points out, “apart from being a brilliant racehorse, he’s a magnificent looking creature and is very well bred, besides I’m looking forward to seeing the first of his progeny,” he added.

Others set to find their way to Sun Stud include the dam of multiple stakes winner and half sister to the dam of dual Group1 success, Kermadec , also sired by Teofilo, the Group 2 winner Avienus, the Fastnet Rock, filly Close To My Heart ,closely related to Machiavellian, a stakes winning mare closely related to Snippets mare, from a half sister to Danzero, multiple winning daughter of Group 1 winner Mon Mekki a stakes winner of 10 races, and a winning half sister to stakes winners, Excites Zelady and Zelady’s Night Out.

Palentino’s race record was clearly an attraction, particularly the way he backed up in the Autumn. 

Palentino in full flight winning the Australian Guineas