Clear the tarmac because ST MARK’S BASILICA has arrived as a stallion.
ST MARK’S BASILICA recently hit multiple milestones to make this assertion, the latest coming on Day 2 at Royal Ascot where his son KING OF CLOUGHAN defeated a massive field of 25 juveniles in the Windsor Castle Stakes.
Just three days earlier, his daughter DIAMOND NECKLACE annexed her second Group 1 in the Prix De Diane Longines at Chantilly.
And a fortnight prior to that, he produced the Italian Derby winner VENETIAN PRINCE.
All up ST MARK’S BASILICA now has 11 stakes horses from only 2 crops to race.
This certainly isn’t the first time you’ve heard a Coolmore shuttler spruiked. Indeed, there are many examples of northern hemisphere stallions that simply don’t cut the mustard down under (for whatever reason).
But with ST MARK’S BASILICA’s first Australian-bred crop approaching their 3rd birthday, there is already strong evidence to suggest his success will transcend the equatorial boundary that has quashed so many before him.
After producing 6 stakes horses in his first northern hemisphere crop, his Australian cohort has yielded 2 stakes performers from just 16 runners including the undefeated ARISTOPOLOS – not bad in the toughest jurisdiction for 2yos in the world!
And when you consider ST MARK’S BASILICA didn’t hit his straps until he was a 3yo (he won 5, yes 5, consecutive Group 1s!), there’s every chance the best is yet to come.
Proven Thoroughbreds has positioned itself with two ST MARK’S BASILICA yearlings – soon to be 2yos – in 2026.
Matt Hoysted has trained 4 winners and a 2nd from his last 6 starters and will prepare the ST MARK’S BASILICA x JEWELIANA filly, who, like yesterday’s winner APEX PREDATOR, is eligible for the lucrative QTIS Fillies bonuses. Shares start from $2000 for 2.5%.
A Sydney-based alternative is the ST MARK’S BASILICA x STOKED filly with Joe Pride, who is behind only Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher in terms of prizemoney earned in Sydney this season. This robust filly is available for $3000 per 2.5% share.