By Michael Hibbs - Peregrine Bloodstock
Twitter: @MS_Hibbs
As the breeding season draws near again, breeders are faced once again with the ultimate conundrum; where do I send my mare this season?
This season more than ever, there are many too choose from, a maze to sort through on the way to determining which stallion is right for your mare.
To receive the best return on your breeding investment, I would suggest that you seek advice from a professional; that extra bit of work and analysis can often make all the difference.
As a thoroughbred enthusiast, I have always appreciated horses that during their career, have trained on and show a willingness each and every year to be competitive at the highest level.
With the heavy influence of the Danehill bloodline infused into our mare community, a total outcross is what we are now all looking for.
Australian racing demands a good temperament, toughness, soundness, constitution and of course an ability to perform on the track under Australian conditions; it is with this in mind that I believe Fierce Impact fits the bill.
A winner at two, stakes placed at three, a winner at four, it wasn’t until his five year old year season that Fierce Impact really hit his straps, winning the Group 3 Summer Cup and running second in the Listed Scone Cup. Trainer Matt Smith explained that the horse, having moved from Japan to the UK to Australia took some time to put his roots down.
But clearly in Australia, he thrived.
As a six year old, Fierce Impact went to another level altogether winning the Group 1 Cantala Stakes and the time honoured Group 1 Toorak Handicap - two of Australia's premier mile races. He was also placed in another two Group 1 races in the same season including a narrow defeat in the Group 1 Orr Stakes at WFA over 1400m.
Brought back into training again for another season, Fierce Impact went on to win another Group 1, the WFA Makybe Diva Stakes as well as running the great Verry Elleegant to a quarter of a length in the Group 1 Winx Stakes.
Being a triple Group 1 winner over a mile under Australian conditions and being by one of the greatest stallions to stand in Japan - the phenomenal Deep Impact - Fierce Impact is a very appealing stallion prospect.
Deep Impact (Sunday Silence/Halo line) is by far and wide the ultimate breed shaper in Japan. A stunning racehorse and even better sire, he was an amazing sire globally. Fierce Impact's dam side sire is Smarty Jones who hails from the Elusive Quality line and that sire has been very successful as a broodmare sire in Australia.
Fierce Impact’s pedigree is littered with black type winners consistently over a mile.
Given this, he is a genuine outcross to the Danehill mare population. I believe he could be a great asset when we are looking for a tough, sound miler that can train on each and every year.
So what sort of mares will suit Fierce Impact?
In my opinion, Fierce Impact will mix well with Danehill line mares. In particular, Danehill himself, Redoute’s Choice and also Exceed & Excel - it's worth noting that Exceed And Excel's best nick is through Elusive Quality mares in which Fierce Impact has via his dam side through Smarty Jones.
There are stats galore through Deep Impact to suggest Fierce Impact will have an affinity with Storm Cat line mares, such as Giant’s Causeway, Hennessy, Scat Daddy, Turffontein etc…and do well with French Deputy, Machiavellian, Street Cry and Sadler’s Wells line mares also.
Through Fierce Impact, breeders have access some of the worlds best bloodlines through a triple Group 1 Winner with proven longevity and at a very affordable introductory price.
I'm very much looking forward to inspecting Fierce Impact at Leneva Park before the breeding season.