First Season Sire Focus: Bushranger

Bushranger proved himself  one of the best European two year olds of his generation in 2008 winning two Group one races in England and France respectively. Trained by David Wachman he won the Group one Prix Morney in France following up in the  Group one Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket showing a great turn of foot in the process, these wins along with a Group three win at The Curragh in early summer prompted Timeform to give him a rating of 121 Bushranger made his winning debut at 5F in early June at Tipperary he followed that win up with a second placing at Ascot in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes again at 5F

Stepping up to Group company on just his third outing he duly obliged in the Group three Anglesey Stakes at  The Curragh, that win prompted his connections to step him up to Group one company on his first outing in the highest grade he found Mastercraftsman too good finishing 5 lengths behind in third, taken over to France for the Group one Prix Morney he got off the mark in Group one company finishing half a length in front of Gallagher this was also a record time, on his next start again at Group one level, this time the Group one Middle Park Stakes at 6F he showed a great turn of foot to win again at record time.

Bushranger had his final start at two in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf  finishing 11th beaten over seven lengths by Midshipman in the end. As a three year old Bushranger was unable to find the form as a two year old, on his first start at three he finished fourth to Utmost Respect in the Group three Greenlands Stakes at The Curragh over 6F on Heavy going his next start was an 11th placed finish behind Art Connoisseur in the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Ascot, his final run this time was at Haydock for the Betfred Sprint Cup beaten into ninth place by Regal Parade, after a dissapointing display Bushranger retired to his breeders Tally Ho Stud in Mullingar.

Given a fee of around E7,000 Bushranger attracted a book of around 140 mares, His first foals proved very sought out after at the sales with E50,000, E48,000, E45,000 being paid for some of his first foals in 2011, this got some breeders attention and again in his second season he was well supported.

The 2012 Sales brought about his first yearlings, they were very athletic horses with good actioned walk this caught many leading agents eyes and in 2012 his yearlings proved to be extremely popular in Europe his highest priced yearling sold in 2012 was £220,000 paid for a colt out of Pollish Belle at Tattersalls these were followed by other six figures including E220,000, £110,000, £100,000 x2 E80,000, E70,000 etc Yearlings sold by Bushranger at Tattersalls have made a total sale of over £2,000,000, they have averaged £41,667 and the Median is currently £32,000, all these yearlings were conceived at a fee of E7,000

The look of his yearlings have got many people in the bloodstock industry very excited and Bushranger could prove to be a major sire for the Title of 2013 Champion First Season Sire. Bushranger's biggest bred crop will be foals in 2013 as in 2012 after the outstanding sales success of his foals he covered a huge book of mares numbering over 200  naming him the busiest flat sire in Europe in 2012.

Bushranger is a horse of outstanding quality, a very good looking individual he is a grandson of the legendary sire  Danehill, he is out of Danz Danz (Bushranger was her only blacktype winner he also proved to be the first Group one winner under his first three dams) Danz Danz is a mare by leading sire Efisio,. Bushranger himself made around 100,000 when he was sold as a yearling in 2007.

His first yearlings really impressed me and i think he could be a major two year old sire. Bushranger's wins all came on Good Ground and i would expect that come summer 2013 he should start firing in the winners on good going he has already got off the mark with a winner, although i think his progeny could prove very effective at distances under a mile, and Im sure it wont be too long until we see more two year old winners from this extremely exciting young stallion