Return To Conquer retired to Waikato Stud

[Wandering Eyes]

Waikato Stud have announced unbeaten Group One winner Return To Conquer (Snitzel), a son of Champion Sire Snitzel, will join their star-studded roster this season.

“We’re very excited and proud to stand such a top-class racehorse with a beautiful pedigree and impeccable looks,” said stud principal, Mark Chittick.

“He will complement our broodmare band extremely well and to have Kia Ora remain in him adds to the excitement; the Australasian industry will get every opportunity to support him at this introductory fee of $15,000 plus GST, LFG.

“To stand a horse bought by one of the best judges in the industry is a real privilege, and it’s a testament to the Te Akau Racing team to have him retire with an unbeaten stakes record.”

Purchased from Blue Gum Farm’s draft at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for A$1.3 million, the colt had many admirers, including Bruce Perry, but it was John O’Shea who pushed the bidding into seven figures, with David Ellis CNZM having the final winning bid.

“From the moment I first inspected him at the Magic Millions’ sale, he stood out. He was a magnificent individual – strong, athletic and beautifully balanced – with the pedigree to match,” Ellis said.

“He developed into an elite racehorse under Mark (Walker) and Sam’s (Bergerson) guidance, retiring unbeaten in four starts. All four of his victories were at stakes level, including the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m). Records like that are seldom found.

“Just as importantly, he has a beautiful temperament and a real presence about him. We buy these well-bred colts to compete and win at the highest level and Return To Conquer did exactly that. To see him retire unbeaten and now head to the renowned Waikato Stud is immensely satisfying – it gives him a tremendous platform, and it is a wonderful result for the New Zealand breeding industry.”

Group One winning Snitzel colt Return To Conquer and Blake Shinn Photo: Race Images (Kenton Wright)

Return To Conquer won all three of his trials before making a winning debut in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m). He continued his stakes sweep, with victories in the Gr.3 Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (1200m), Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m) and Gr.1 Sistema Stake (1200m).

With Mark and Garry at home in Matamata anchoring operations, Harry and George Chittick travelled to Te Akau Racing’s Cranbourne base to give the colt the final tick of approval.

“Ben Gleeson showed him to us and he was really impressive, he has a good brain on him, and he’s such a dude,” Harry Chittick said.

“Speaking to Jamie and Chanel Beatson of Ohukia Lodge, he was the best they broke in that year. Everything about him is impressive – from his pedigree to his performance, temperament and physical presence.”

“He’s a beautiful horse and very precocious,” continued George Chittick. “One of the things I took away was, yes, there is plenty of Snitzel in there, but there is a touch of Lonhro, too. I’d be very pleased walking out to get him from the paddock each day and bringing him to the barn or showing him to clients. We’re very excited and proud to be a part of the next stallion for WS.”

Return To Conquer is out of the unraced Lonhro mare Vaujany, a three-quarter sister to six-time Australian sprint winner Andermatt, and the colt’s granddam, Portillo, won the Gr.2 Surround Stakes (1400m) and finished second in the Gr.1 Flight Stakes (1600m) as a three-year-old.

“At the end of the day, he’s a Group One-winning son of Snitzel and a good specimen. To get all those things together is not easy,” explained Garry Chittick. “We have a very good spread of stallions, so he fits into our mix well.”

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