Stallion of the Week – CHINESE DRAGON
17th Jun 2009
The philosophy at Goodwood Stud is clear – ‘to produce high quality thoroughbreds for the worldwide racing market’.
That is the message William Fell of Goodwood Stud gave to New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing this week when discussing the Manawatu farm’s foundation sire Chinese Dragon.
A group winning son of one of the world’s hottest active stallions in Stravinsky, William and his father Rex have chosen Chinese Dragon as the sire to continue a three-generation family tradition of breeding, selling and racing quality equine athletes.
“Chinese Dragon ticked all the boxes when we were looking for a foundation stallion for Goodwood,” William Fell told New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing.
“His key appeal was the Stravinsky factor, but also he had performed at the elite level of racing on turf in the
“I saw him (Chinese Dragon) win when I was working in the States, and he took my eye then being by Stravinsky,” revealed Fell.
“When we became aware that he was on the market two years later we moved quickly, and Dad and Danny Rolston from
Standing his first season at Goodwood in 2008, Fell reports that Chinese Dragon was well supported by breeders throughout the country.
“We naturally supported him with our own broodmare band and with our loyal client base, and mares from Fairdale,
Fell makes particular mention of the stakes producing mares Mi Steel, Maybe Yes, and You Remember Me who are all in foal to Chinese Dragon.
“His first foal is due on August 16 and we are really looking forward to seeing them on the ground.
“Being 16.1hh he is a good size horse with a big shoulder.
“He has a quality head and an incredible temperament and we anticipate that he will leave quality stock with the same attributes.”
Bred in
He won at The Curragh as a two-year-old before being sold to American trainer Bob Hess.
Making immediate impact on the Californian racing circuit, Chinese Dragon won his first four starts, including three at stakes level.
We naturally supported him with our own broodmare band and with our loyal client base, and mares from Fairdale, Waikato Stud, Trelawney and Pencarrow, he ended up serving a quality book of about 80 last year
When he retired from the track in May 2007 due to injury, the recognised “turf specialist” had won seven from 13 starts, five of those being black type level. His most prominent win came in the Grade 2 San Francisco Mile, and he also recorded three black type placings including a close third in the Gr. 1 Santa Anita Frank E Kilroe Mile.
“Chinese Dragon was a genuine and honest racehorse who competed with plenty of merit against the best turf horses in America,” said Fell.
“He was narrowly beaten at Grade One level by the multiple group one winner Milk it Mick so his form definitely stacks up. He showed that explosive turn of foot like so many of the Stravinsky’s do and could run home from behind or race on the pace,” added Fell.
Stravinsky, a son of Nureyev, was himself a dual Group One winner over 1000m & 1200m, and was the 1999 Champion European Sprinter. He finished top of The 1999 International 3YO Classification (sprint).
As a sire Stravinsky has produced seven Gr.1 winners, and a total of 56 individual stakes winners around the globe.
“With Stravinsky being so hot right now it is great that Goodwood is able to add another option to breeders to access these proven and successful bloodlines,” said Fell.
Matching Chinese Dragon’s strong paternal lineage is an equally potent female family.
Boasting a solid European distaff pedigree, Chinese Dragon is out of the Alydar mare Fabulous Fairy, the daughter of
“His female family is a proven source of successful sires with the likes of Selkirk,
“As a sire he’s got everything going for him.
“It’s an exciting new era for Goodwood and we feel that we have selected the right stallion to take us forward.”
Chinese Dragon will stand at a fee of $5,500 + GST in 2009.