Cluster

FOURTH SEASON CAN BE A CLUSTER LUCK

Ask any studmaster and they’ll tell you that a stallion’s fourth season at stud is like entering the Twilight Zone: that dreaded period when broodmare owners sit back and wait to see how that stallion’s first crop of 2YOs fare. However, to paraphrase that famous trainer, Charles Dickens, it can also be the best of times for those who are prepared to back their judgement. That was clearly the case with Spirit of Boom who covered his fourth book of mares at a fee of just $11,000 last spring, yet 19 winning first crop 2YOs later – five of them stakes winners! – the stallion will cover a massive book of mares at a fee of $55,000 in 2018. Now Larneuk Stud is counting on classy CLUSTER to have a ‘boom’ of his own. And why not?

A cracking type in his own right, Cluster is by Champion Sire and sire of sires in Fastnet Rock (137 stakes winners), and is from the Flemington stakes winner Tarcoola Diamond.

Successful family? The first two dams alone have produced 13 winners from 15 to race and the pedigree emanates precocious speed. What’s more, Cluster was lightning quick: finishing second in the Group Three San Domenico in his first run at three, he was a neck third in the Group Two Stutt Stakes and capped off his career with a brilliant victory in the Group Two Theo Marks Stakes. Better still, the acorn hasn’t fallen far from the tree as he is really ‘stamping’ his progeny, as evidenced by the first of his yearlings selling up to $72,000 at 2018 yearling sales – 12 times service fee.

Those yearlings ended up in the good stables too: Greg Eurell, Henry Dwyer, Bryan Guy and co. … and you can rest assured they’ll be targeting eligible races such as the $1 million VOBIS Sires ‘The Showdown’ at Caulfield next year, or the many millions on offer for other VOBIS races. Cluster stands this season at a fee of just $6,600 inc. GST.

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