Vale Snitzel: A Champion's Heart Forever
The Beloved Stallion Who Captured Australia's Soul Leaves Unforgettable Legacy
John Messara has witnessed greatness pass through the gates of Arrowfield Stud more than once in his lifetime. But on Wednesday morning, as he watched Snitzel take his final breaths at age 22, the weight of stewarding three generations of Thoroughbred royalty settled heavily on his shoulders. The four-time Champion Sire's passing marked not just the end of a remarkable career, but the closing of a chapter that began with Danehill and continued through Redoute's Choice.
The son of Redoute's Choice, who was euthanised at the Hunter Valley stud following age-related complications, leaves behind an unprecedented record of achievement. His passing marks the end of an era for Australian Thoroughbred breeding, with the stallion having dominated sire rankings from 2017 through 2020.
John Messara, Arrowfield's owner, reflected on the profound loss during an emotional tribute to the champion. "He's going to be a difficult horse to replace," Messara said. "It's a very sad day for all of us. He was so healthy and sound for so many years. It was only the last few months when he got this liver complaint, and that got worse and worse over the last few weeks, and in the last few days, you could see there was going to be no coming back from it."
Racing Career Built Foundation For Stud Success
Born on August 24, 2002, Snitzel was bred by Francois Naude from the stakes-winning Snippets mare Snippets' Lass. The colt was offered by Yarraman Park at Magic Millions Gold Coast in 2004, where trainer Gerald Ryan purchased him for US$173,000 on behalf of subsequently disgraced owner Damion Flower.
Snitzel's brilliance shone from his debut, winning his first three starts, including a commanding three-length victory in the Breeders' Plate at Warwick Farm. His most impressive early performance came at start three at Doomben, where he romped home by six lengths in what became the BJ McLachlan Stakes.
The colt's three-start spring 3YO campaign was highlighted by victory in Randwick's 2005 Gr.3 Up and Coming Stakes. His stud credentials were sealed the following autumn when he led throughout to win the Gr.1 Oakleigh Plate before finishing second to Takeover Target in the Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap.
Ryan always maintained faith in the horse's exceptional ability. "Gerald was always very hot on the horse," Messara recalled. "He was obviously very fast, and because he was a son of our sire Redoute's Choice, we were interested. He'd been very unlucky when beaten a couple of times, so that egged us on to buy him."
Unprecedented Stud Record Establishes Modern Standard
Messara gradually increased his interest in Snitzel, as Flower, who was ultimately jailed for 28 years for drug smuggling, sold off his shares of ownership. The horse had around a dozen shareholders at the time of his death, including a 25 per cent share owned by Arrowfield's partners, the Yoshida family in Japan, to where Snitzel would shuttle in 2007 and 2011.
Snitzel's stud record speaks to his extraordinary influence on Australian racing. The stallion achieved an exceptional 78.54 per cent winners-to-runners ratio, producing 1,281 winners from 1,631 runners. More remarkably, he maintained a 10.4 per cent stakes-winners-to-runners ratio, producing 160 stakes winners, including 23 Group One winners and 103 Group winners overall.
The stallion's dominance of Australian sire rankings was unprecedented in the modern era. He claimed the Australian Champion Stallion title four consecutive times from 2017 through 2020, making him one of only six stallions in 140 years to achieve this feat and the first since his grandsire Danehill.
Golden Generation Of Champions Defines Legacy
Among Snitzel's most celebrated offspring are some of Australian racing's biggest names. His Group One winners include the exceptional sprinter Redzel, dual Group One winner Trapeze Artist, the brilliant filly Lady Shenandoah, and the versatile Russian Revolution. The stallion also sired Shamus Award, Switzerland, Away Game, and Return To Conquer.
Perhaps most significantly, he sired three Golden Slipper winners: Estijaab (2018), Shinzo (2023), and this year's winner Marhoona. With Marhoona having become his third Gr.1 Golden Slipper victor this year, he secured what will become his fifth 2YO sires' title and his second in three years.
The stallion's influence extended beyond individual champions. With over 300 Group and Listed wins to his credit, Snitzel became the father of 12 official Champions across various classes. His sons have also made their mark at stud, with six becoming Group One-siring stallions themselves: Shamus Award, Russian Revolution, Trapeze Artist, Invader, Spill The Beans, and Thronum.
"Snitzel was very fertile, had a great temperament and was a great friend to himself, but I think the biggest thing he'll be remembered for is his versatility," Messara reflected. "His produce could sprint, run a mile, they could handle the wet and the dry, there were 2YOs, there were fillies and colts, and he just threw a lot of high-class horses, and 12 champions."
Messara, who brought Danehill to Australia and stood Redoute's Choice throughout his career, said Snitzel had "wonderfully" carried on the best traits of those two immediate ancestors. "He was just a prolific getter of exceptional horses. He had a stakes win every 19 days of his career. That's not bad."
Commercial Powerhouse Commands Global Respect
Snitzel's success on the racetrack translated into extraordinary commercial appeal. His yearlings became highly sought after, with his average yearling price reaching a career peak of US$442,000 in 2025, smashing his previous best of US$356,000 in 2022. Over his career, he sired 71 yearlings that sold for over US$665,000, including 11 in 2025 alone. His highest sale yearling aggregate reached US$30.1 million in 2025.
Such has been the ongoing respect for Snitzel that his commercial appeal has continued to grow throughout his career. The stallion's exceptional fertility and consistent quality made him one of the most valuable and reliable stallions of the modern era.
"He had over 300 Group and Listed wins; they're big numbers, and with a 10.4 per cent stakes-winners-to-runner ratio, you'd have to say that's the top of the tree at the moment," Messara noted.
Final Season Caps Remarkable Career
Even in his final season, Snitzel continued demonstrating his class. Signing off with black type winner number 160 when Transatlantic took Eagle Farm's Spear Chief Handicap, Snitzel maintained his remarkable strike rate until the end.
The same gelding remains a second emergency in the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap, offering one final chance for Snitzel to add to his Group One tally. A 2YO colt trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr became Snitzel's 20th individual juvenile winner for the season at Seymour, helping secure his fifth Australian 2YO Sires' Premiership.
Beyond the impressive statistics, those who worked with Snitzel remember him as much more than a commercial success. "He was very much loved around the farm, the kindest animal you'd have anything to do with," Messara recalled. "In the breeding shed, he was always eager, very fertile, and a total gentleman. He was the total package, just a dream horse in every respect."
Messara emphasised Snitzel's exceptional character, noting his temperament was as valuable as his breeding ability. "He was such a versatile animal with such a tremendous temperament, which I think he passed on to most of his produce. The Redoute and Danehill lines have tremendous temperaments, and Snitzel was very much an exponent of that. To have stood all three sires, it makes you very proud."
His versatility as a sire proved his greatest strength, with progeny excelling across all conditions and distances.
Known for his soundness and vitality throughout most of his life, Snitzel began showing signs of age-related decline in 2024. Despite comprehensive veterinary support and the daily dedication of Arrowfield's experienced stallion team, his condition deteriorated rapidly over the past week. With no treatment options remaining, the decision was made to allow him a peaceful and dignified farewell.
Arrowfield acknowledges the profound impact of his passing, not only as the loss of a great horse, but as the end of a significant chapter in the stud's history. "Snitzel was more than a commercial success; he was a reliable and stoic presence who shaped the daily rhythm of life at the farm and anchored many careers," the stud statement read.
"He's a very big loss for us and for the industry as a whole," Messara concluded, reflecting on the broader impact of losing such an influential stallion.
Snitzel has been laid to rest at Arrowfield alongside other Thoroughbred legends, including his sire, Redoute's Choice; Flying Spur; and Not A Single Doubt. The farm is now actively seeking a son of Snitzel to continue the bloodline's influence at the stud.
Like his sire Redoute's Choice and grandsire Danehill, Snitzel became a cornerstone not only of Arrowfield's breeding programme, but of the broader Australian Thoroughbred industry. His contribution to the sport, measured in champions, premierships, and the people he brought together, will not be forgotten.
The stallion currently ranks at a career-high third on the Australian broodmare sires' table, ensuring his influence will continue through future generations. His sons and daughters have carried his qualities forward and are already proving themselves in the breeding shed, ensuring that his legacy will continue for generations to come.