When
a stallion's service fee drops from $27,500 to $13,200 in the space of four
years we might assume he's not going well.
But that is far from the case for Vinery Stud's Casino Prince, who added his
fourth stakes-winner of the season last Saturday when Mighty Lucky took out the
Listed ATC Festival Stakes at Rosehill.
His success follows on from Group wins for Hooked, Casino Dancer and Escado,
who are among 44 Australian winners this season for Casino Prince, who lies
just outside the Top 20 on the Australian General Sires List by earnings.
A Group I winning son of Flying Spur, Casino Prince was raced by Patinack Farm
and started his stud career for them before transferring to Vinery in 2013.
The Champion First Season Sire of 2011/2012, Casino Prince had the good fortune
to sire a superstar in his first crop in All Too Hard, who went on to win four
Group I races and is now considered one of the hottest young stallions in the
country.
While some might downplay his role in the success of Black Caviar's
half-brother All Too Hard, who is from exceptional producer Helsinge, the fact
remains he was half the equation that produced him and does deserve his share
of credit.
All Too Hard aside, Casino Prince has left 10 stakes-winners in total, eight of
those being Group winners.
With 60 % winners to runners and 3.6% stakes-winners to runners, Casino Prince
has settled into a niche as a good solid source of winners, so if you've sent a
mare to him this spring at the $13,200 fee you should be feeling pretty good
about it.
Given the right mare, All Too Hard can obviously get a champion.
That right mare, Helsinge, went back to him in 2012, so has a two year-old full
sister to All Too Hard called Brigite.
Trained by Peter Moody she is among the first declarations for the Group I MRC
Blue Diamond Stakes next year, so Casino Prince may have his next star in the pipeline.
Casino Prince has eight entries for Magic Millions and the same for Inglis
Classic.