3 minute read
Standing at: Aquis Farm, NSW.
Pierata (AUS)
Breeding: Pierro - November Flight by Flying Spur
Standing at: Aquis Farm, NSW
Fee: $44,000
Group 1 winner Pierata (Pierro) will stand his first season at Aquis Farm's New South Wales base for an introductory fee of $44,000 (inc GST) - the joint-third most expensive first-season sire to take up stud duties in Australia in 2020.
Pierata won nine of his 26 starts, with the highlight coming when taking out the 2019 All Aged Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), which saw him amass $5,802,940 in career prize-money.
Famed for his consistency throughout his career, Pierata broke his maiden over 1200 metres before going to finish third behind star mare Melody Belle (Commands) in the BRC Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) in May 2017.
The son of Pierro's (Lonhro) consistency came to the fore during his three-year-old career, never finishing out of the top two in any of his six starts, while his three victories that season included the Vo Rogue Plate (Gr 3, 1350m) and Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (RL, 1400m) and he also finished runner-up behind Kementari (Lonhro) in the Randwick Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m).
Pierata kicked off his four-year-old season with an impressive victory in the Missile Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m), a win he backed up three starts later in the Sydney Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m). He then went on to dead-heat for third in the VRC Sprint Classic (Gr 1, 1200m).
However the Autumn of his four-year-old season proved to be his crowning glory, finishing second behind Nature Strip (Nicconi) in The Galaxy (Gr 1, 1100m), before breaking his Group 1 duck in the All Aged Stakes two starts later.
This season Pierata has once again run with credit, winning the Shorts Handicap (Gr 2, 1100m) in September and the valuable Redzel Stakes (1300m) in November and was unlucky not to win back-to-back editions of the All Aged Stakes, but was just beaten a nose by Tofane (Ocean Park) - on what proved to be the final start of his career.
"You don't forget riding one like him [Pierro] and when I got on Pierata it was like being back on Pierro. They are so similar in their mannerisms. Pierata got a bit of dad's ability as well," said Tommy Berry who rode the colt in his last 13 starts.
Purchased by his trainer Greg Hickman for $160,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Pierata is one of five winners out of Millie Fox Stakes (Gr 3, 1300m) winner November Flight (Flying Spur), making him a half-brother to Group 3 winner Ashokan (More Than Ready) was also Group 1 placed in the Golden Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m).
His second dam is Zabeel (Sir Tristram) mare November song who produced five winners from as many foals to race and is herself a half-sister to stakes winner Crozier (II) (Godswalk).
