Group One Roster at Newhaven

It’s an impressive roster consisting entirely of Group 1 winners at Newhaven Park, the stud run so expertly for 11 decades by the Kelly family who are justifiably proud of a history that enables them to make the declaration of “Breeding Champions For Four Generations.” The Stud boasts an enviable record in the country’s biggest races. Such as the Golden Slipper Stakes-Gr1, 1200m which has been won on five (John’s Hope, Vivarchi, Burst, Prowl and Marauding) occasions by horses bred or raced by Newhaven.

A steady stream of high class gallopers has continuously emerged from Newhaven’s lush paddocks, such as In The Congo, Shout The Bar, Odeum, Mariamia, Peeping, English, Zac Spirit, Wylie Hall, Absolute Champion, Grand Armee, Wenona Girl, Research, Encounter, Arborea, Burst, Prowl, Euphoria, Drum, Assertive Lass, Pontal Lass and Chlorophyll. As well as Autumn Glow who has tasted defeat just once from 12 starts. It seems apt that so much Group 1 form come out of a farm named after such an outstanding horse Newhaven (the stud’s first owner Jack Cassidy won enough in a sweep to purchase the farm) whose six length victory in the 1896 Melbourne Cup-Gr1, 3200m is famous for being filmed; Australia’s first ever recorded footage.

It is always a proud moment for a stud when a Group 1 horse returns home and the 2026 spring is an exciting one for the Kelly family with Cool Archie due to serve his first book of mares. Named 2024/25 Champion 2YO Colt, Cool Archie was sold to Mick Malone Bloodstock at the 2024 Magic Millions. The $1.6 million earner proved to be a fine representative of his sire Cool Aza Beel who also calls Newhaven home.

In October that year taking his place in the first two year-old race on the calendar, Cool Archie was on the heels of the placegetters, soon earning black-type with a BJ McLachlan Stakes-Gr3, 1200m second. Whilst unplaced in the Magic Millions-RL, 1200m, Cool Archie impressed with his determination sticking on after working hard out wide from barrier 15 and it was to be his final time outside of the winner’s circle. Between April and June 2025 Cool Archie was airborne, again wide when proving a class above his rivals in a Doomben maiden before overcoming trouble to secure victory in the Dalrello Stakes-Listed, 1000m.

He was again in traffic when contesting the Champagne Classic-Gr2, 1200m, not clear until the 100m from where he put on display his impressive turn of foot. Which he again showed when winning the BRC Sires Produce Stakes-Gr2,

Cool Archie

Relishing a step up in distance with another soft win in the J.J Atkins Stakes-Gr1, 1600m, Cool Archie impressed his rider Martin Harley. “He has taken a big step forward with each run and that’s what the good ones do,” he said. “He got into a good rhythm and I ended up getting there too soon but he’s got a good will to win,” he continued. “He wanted it, what a superstar he is.” The J.J Atkins has been a good pointer to sire success, both overall and for Newhaven whose classy stallions Zeditave and Luskin Star also won that feature.

Incurring a knee injury in the lead-up to his next campaign, Cool Archie was retired with owner Max Whitby noting that “it’s a bit sad, because he could have been anything.” A horse who has impressed good judges with his movement, Cool Archie is the first Group 1 horse to emerge from the debut crop of his up-and-coming sire Cool Aza Beel whose progeny impressed enough for his 2025 book to be his biggest yet.

Cool Aza Beel (NZ Champion 2Y0 Colt) is one of the 25 Zabeel line horses to have sired stakes winners (one of the 14 with Group 1 winners) and he is by great stallion’s best sire son, the late Savabeel. Both Cool Aza Beel (whose 2026 yearlings sold for up to $500,000) and Cool Archie hail from outstanding families, the former out of a fast Testa Rossa mare from the speedy “Tennessee” clan which has Melbourne Cup winner Rainbird as its matriarch whilst his son from the great La Troienne family (from which high class stallions abound) is a grandson of the dual Group winner dam Media who is out of the two time Listed winner Valourina whose dam is the double Classic winner Bravery.

Newhaven are unabashed fans of the ten time Champion Sire Savabeel, also standing his dual Group 1 winner Mo’Unga, another well related horse who amassed over $3.8 million racing in the best of company; supporting him with some of their best mares. A particularly good-looking horse with a stamp of his sire line, he was a $325,000 Karaka yearling who won his only start at two, proving himself an elite level performer at three and beyond.

Another horse with Zabeel influence (out of his daughter Axiom who also produced the Group 3 galloper He’s Remarkable), Newhaven’s dual Group 1 winning Pentire horse Xtravagant has been somewhat of a quiet achiever. And he is a horse with an interesting link to the stud’s past with his ancestress Mit Muzzle (great granddaughter of the legendary Teppo) being Luskin Star’s fifth dam. Eleven of the 12 Xtravagant runners out of mares carrying a Luskin Star strain are winners including the stakes winning brothers Xtravagant Star and He’s Xceptional whilst another two are stakes placed.

Such Group 1 quality in a roster continues to see Newhaven Park one of Australia’s most respected thoroughbred farms. Studmaster John Kelly has the final word, “It’s a big part of our strategy to stand elite horses, Gr1 winners and we have been receiving strong support from breeders who realise that there is real value on offer here at Newhaven.” BBBB