Cover image courtesy of Coolmore
On Tuesday, New Zealand’s Windsor Park Stud announced it's stallion lineup for 2025 with seven options for breeders.
Windsor Park Stud’s historic ability to find high-quality commercial stallions is led by eight-time New Zealand Champion Sire Volksraad (GB), and fellow New Zealand Champion Sire’s Thorn Park, and Star Way (GB).
They have had long-lasting success with Coolmore shuttle stallions Montjeu (Ire), High Chaparral (Ire), and Rip Van Winkle (Ire), and that relationship has continued to build in recent years.
World-Class Auguste Rodin sparks huge interest
Windsor Park Stud has revealed its 2025 stallion roster and fees, with standout new recruit Auguste Rodin (Ire) creating a major buzz among breeders. The European Champion is already oversubscribed at his introductory fee of $30,000 plus GST.
A six-time Group 1 winner, Auguste Rodin was a top-class 2-year-old who matured into a Champion 3-year-old. He claimed both the English and Irish Derbies, before going on to beat older horses at Weight-For-Age in the Irish Champion Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Turf. That unique combination of four Group 1 wins in a classic season remains unmatched by any other 3-year-old in history.
Auguste Rodin (Ire) winning the G1 Epsom Derby | Image courtesy of NZTBA
He returned at four to add another elite title to his resume, winning the G1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, as well as going within a neck of a notable double in the Irish Champion Stakes when narrowly beat by Economics (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).
Schick was full of praise; “World class racehorse, he’s in the same mould as High Chaparral, nearly identical race record, wonderful European galloper and he’s been massively supported by breeders.
“It’s very, very exciting and it’s great to have him.”
“World class racehorse, he’s (Auguste Rodin) in the same mould as High Chaparral, nearly identical race record, wonderful European galloper. It’s very, very exciting and it’s great to have him.” - Rodney Schick
By the legendary Deep Impact (Jpn)—11-time Champion Sire and global force—Auguste Rodin is from the stallion’s final crop. His female family is equally elite, with each of his first three dams being Group 1 performers over distances shorter than a mile.
Rodney Schick | Image courtesy of Windsor Park Stud
Shamexpress shines as sire of Ka Ying Rising
Windsor Park Stud’s proven sire Shamexpress (NZ) has enjoyed a breakout season in 2025, headlined by his Hong Kong-based son Ka Ying Rising (NZ), currently the world’s highest-ranked sprinter.
The brilliant Ka Ying Rising has been near-unbeatable in the Hong Kong, putting together a string of elite performances, including three Group 1 victories and he will be looking to add to that total this weekend.
Ka Ying Rising (NZ) | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
“Shamexpress, as we all know, has struggled for his numbers, but when they hit the racetrack they are very good,” said Schick.
“Ka Ying Rising is obviously the best sprinter in the world, but he’s had other really good horses such as Lims Saltoro, Grinzinger Belle and Blue Sky At Night, and has had a great year from small numbers. He deserves his fee rise.”
As a result, Shamexpress will stand for a revised fee of NZ$20,000 plus GST in 2025.
Shamexpress (NZ) | Standing at Windsor Park Stud
The brilliant miler: Paddington is back at Windsor Park
Fellow Ballydoyle superstar Paddington (GB) will return to Windsor Park Stud in 2025, shuttling again from Coolmore, Ireland for his second Southern Hemisphere season.
The brilliant miler by Siyouni (Fr) was a four-time Group One winner on the track and made an immediate impact at stud in 2024 in New Zealand, covering a full book with over 100 mares tested in foal.
Paddington (GB) | Standing at Windsor Park Stud
“Once again, he has been well supported again this season on the back of serving a great book last year. It’s great to have him back, world-class galloper and we are lucky to have a horse of his quality to come to New Zealand,” said Schick.
Paddington is once more oversubscribed at an unchanged fee of $35,000 plus GST, reflecting continued strong demand for his services among Australasian breeders.
The popular boy Profondo
Commencing his third season at Windsor Park Stud is the highly popular Profondo—a striking, Group 1-winning son of Deep Impact and Honesty Prevails, the precocious Group-winning 2-year-old daughter of Redoute’s Choice.
A $1.9 million sales-topping yearling, Profondo has been in hot demand since his retirement to stud, serving over 350 mares across his first two seasons.
Profondo | Standing at Windsor Park Stud
“He’s been one of the most popular stallions in New Zealand over the last two seasons, serving two really big books. Once again, breeders will go to him again.
“He has left a beautiful line of foals, and on the back of that, I would say he will get another really good book like he did last year.”
“He (Profondo) has left a beautiful line of foals, and on the back of that, I would say he will get another really good book like he did last year.” - Rodney Schick
Profondo will stand for a fee of $17,500 plus GST in 2025, with his first foals already making a strong impression.
Circus Maximus is building momentum
Also standing at $17,500 plus GST is Circus Maximus (Ire), the Champion Miler who returns for his fifth season at Windsor Park in 2025.
With a 2-year-old Group 1 performer already emerging from his first (2024) European crop, and his first Australasian juveniles making waves at both the trials and on raceday, the signs are encouraging for this dual Royal Ascot-winning miler.
Heading his promising group of first Australasian 2-year-olds is the unbeaten filly Ha’Penny Hatch (NZ), who has notched up two metropolitan wins and is set to step into Listed company this weekend at Eagle Farm.
Circus Maximus (Ire) | Standing at Windsor Park Stud
Other early performers include metro-placed Rufus (NZ), Towering Vision (NZ), Miss Parker (NZ), and the debut placegetter Engine of War (NZ) - all shaping as progressive types late in their 2-year-old season and heading into their 3-year-old seasons.
“He has got lots of nice horses around, Ha’Penny Hatch looks very promising, and they seem to be all popping up at race days and the trials now.” Schick commented about Circus Maximus.
The proven boys
Proven stallions Vanbrugh and Turn Me Loose (NZ) round out Windsor Park’s 2025 stallion lineup.
Vanbrugh, the Group 1-winning son of Encosta De Lago, has established a successful career with an impressive stakes winners-to-runners strike rate of 5.6 per cent, despite his limited representation.
An outstanding physical individual, Vanbrugh is known for producing exceptional types. He will be represented by his first sizeable crop, now rising 3-year-olds, in the coming season.
Vanbrugh | Standing at Windsor Park Stud
His top-class Group One performers, Mustang Valley (NZ) and Wild Night (NZ), have both proven themselves by performing at the highest level well into their five and six-year-old seasons. Vanbrugh will stand in 2025 for a fee of $7,500 plus GST, the same fee as his barnmate, the successful sire Turn Me Loose (NZ).
Turn Me Loose consistently produces smart winners week in and week out. This season alone, he has sired 52 individual winners of 70 races.
The 2025 Southern leading 3-year-old filly Loose Sally (NZ) is the latest stakes winner to join his impressive list of performers. Turn Me Loose has also sired Australian stakeswinners (She’s) Licketysplit (NZ), Prix De Turn (NZ), and Ancient Girl (NZ), who add to his tally of stakes winners that he has produced in New Zealand
Turn Me Loose (NZ) | Standing at Windsor Park Stud
Summing up his thoughts on Windsor Park’s 2025 stallion roster, Schick expressed strong enthusiasm.
“We’re really excited with the boys that we have at the front gate. Especially with some of these high-profile European horses coming in.
“We’re really excited with the boys that we have at the front gate. Especially with some of these high-profile European horses coming in.” - Rodney Schick
“We’ve seen how they operate, with the likes of High Chaparral and what they’ve done to influence New Zealand and Australian racing, with Dundeel, So You Think and Mark’s (mark Chittick - Waikato Stud) horse Super Seth.”
“They make a real difference – it’s really exciting.”
| Auguste Rodin | Deep Impact | NZ$30,000 (plus GST) | N/A |
| Paddington | Siyouni | NZ$35,000 (plus GST) | NZ$35,000 (plus GST) |
| Shamexpress | O'Reilly | NZ$20,000 (plus GST) | NZ$8,000 (plus GST) |
| Profondo | Deep Impact | NZ$17,500 (plus GST) | NZ$17,500 (plus GST) |
| Circus Maximus | Galileo | NZ$17,500 (plus GST) | NZ$17,500 (plus GST) |
| Turn Me Loose | Iffraaj | NZ$7,500 (plus GST) | NZ$12,000 (plus GST) |
| Vanbrugh | Encosta De Lago | NZ$7,500 (plus GST) | NZ$8,000 (plus GST) |
Table: 2025 service fees for Windsor Park Stud's stallion roster
