The 3-year-old colt, a $1.6 million Magic Millions yearling, retires from the racetrack after victories in the Group III Canonbury Stakes and the Group III Pago Pago Stakes.
Having campaigned as 2-year-old under the care of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, as a 3-year-old under Annabel Neasham’s guidance, he proved competitive against the best sprinters in the land.
He will join G1 Golden Slipper S, winner Farnan in making history as Kia Ora restarts its stallion operation this season.
“He brings another dimension to our roster, being a son of Redoute’s Choice, who is amazing sire of sires of horses like Snitzel and Not A Single Doubt,” Shane Wright, Kia Ora Stud Manager, said.
“He had the precociousness at two, and was a tough, consistent racehorse at three.
“He was Group 1 placed and was a $1.6 million yearling. That tells you how good looking he is. He is a phenomenal specimen that people will fall in love with when they see him in the flesh.”
Wright sees tremendous opportunity for those breeders who will look to support Prague early in his stallion career, and what looks a very competitive fee.
“We have seen so many of those types of horses before, the likes of I Am Invincible as the greatest example, that they are a Group 1 winner in everything but in their record,” he said,
“He’s another one of those horses. We will be treating this horse like a proper Group 1 horse, because he is a proper Group 1 performer and should be respected that way.”
Bred by GSA Bloodstock, Prague was offered through the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he was secured for $1.6 million by Phoenix Thoroughbreds and Aquis Farm.
He debuted with a comfortable 2l win at Canterbury in January 2020 and was then elevated straight to stakes company, winning the G3 Canonbury S. Two runs later, he added a second stakes success in the G3 Pago Pago S. at Rosehill.
He was beaten only 0.5l into second by King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice) in the G1 Inglis Sires’ in what was to prove the final run of his 2-year-old campaign.
It was ahead of his 3-year-old campaign that Kia Ora, which had announced its return to the stallion game, purchased Prague outright from his previous owners.
He changed stables, coming under the eye of Annabel Neasham, who had already worked closely with the colt while working for Maher and Eustace in her previous role.
“He was always a very naturally gifted colt, athletic and sensible, right from day one he showed his talent,” said Neasham.
Prague would be highly competitive in his first-up spring run, finishing fourth in the G2 Danehill S. but he was spelled after contesting the G3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude later in September.
His four-run campaign this autumn confirmed his status as being competitive with the best 3-year-olds and older sprinters, as he was placed in the G3 Eskimo Prince S., and then ran a fast-finishing fourth, beaten less than 1.5l, in the G1 Newmarket H. at Flemington.
He would also charge home for third, just 0.3l behind the winner Wild Ruler (Snitzel), in the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint and power home late for fourth in the G1 All Aged S. where he was beaten only 1l.
“Prague was excellent in that preparation and arguably quite unlucky to not secure a Group 1 win,” said Neasham. “He’s a lovely big strong horse, with a beautiful stallion head just like his sire.”
Story courtesy of Breednet
