Darley Australia newcomer Kementari found to be subfertile

The future of Darley Australia's Group 1-winning stallion Kementari is being reviewed by the operation after tests found the son of Lonhro to be subfertile.

Having been retired in March on the back of a season which yielded three placings at the highest level, Kementari began covering his first book of mares at Kelvinside this month at an introductory fee of A$33,000 (£18,000/€20,500).

While the Randwick Guineas winner has at least one pregnancy confirmed from his first two weeks of covering, the subsequent veterinary analysis has classified him as an unsatisfactory breeder.

Alastair Pulford, head of sales at Darley Stallions, said: “This is obviously a disappointment for the team and our clients. Kementari was an outstanding racehorse and a most impressive individual.

“We sympathise with all our clients who had been looking forward to their mares delivering foals by Kementari, and we ensure we are doing everything we can to accommodate them and arrange for alternative matings.

“As well as being a blow for Darley, this is a blow for the Australian breeding industry which has been served so well by Lonhro and his sire sons – horses such as Pierro and Denman with others like Exosphere and Impending showing great potential.”

Darley confirmed their nominations team is in direct communication with breeders regarding alternative mating plans, while a similar process is being undertaken for the Godolphin broodmare band who were booked to Kementari.

Vin Cox, managing director of Godolphin Australia, said that any decision on Kementari’s future will be made with his welfare paramount, while he is confident Darley’s roster has enough suitable alternatives to satisfy the needs of the broodmare population.

“We have a number of young and exciting stallions on our roster who we are confident can fill the void," he said. "Horses like Exosphere, Ribchester and Territories are all suitable alternatives for our broodmares.

“Reflecting on the approach we take at Godolphin, the welfare of our horses is always our primary concern. Any decision on Kementari’s future will be made on that basis, informed by the advice of our veterinary team.”

Kementari, who won his second start by four lengths as a two-year-old and was also runner-up in the Caulfield Guineas, dominated as an autumn three-year-old with three straight Group victories, culminating in his impressive Randwick Guineas defeat of fellow Group 1 winners Pierata and Trapeze Artist.

The winner of four of his 19 starts for prize-money earnings of A$1,907,350, Kementari stood alongside his sire Lonhro and another son of the stallion in Exosphere.

Meanwhile, Lonhro’s other Group 1-winning son Impending is covering his first book of mares at Darley’s Northwood Park base in Victoria.

Kementari’s half-brother Telperion (by Street Cry), who stands at Westbury Stud in New Zealand, was a Listed-winning two-year-old having also finished runner-up in the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes and fourth in the Golden Slipper Stakes.

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