Vale Snitzel
Passing of a giant
Four time Australian Champion Sire Snitzel was humanely euthanised on June 11, 2025, aged 22. “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,” said a press release from the farm.
The impact on the Australian breeding and racing scene by Snitzel can’t be underestimated. At the time of his death, he sired 160 stakes winners, 23 at Group 1 level, and a further 46 stakes winners as a damsire. The Australian Stud Book has 33 sons of Snitzel listed as currently at stud. “Known for his soundness and vitality throughout most of his life, Snitzel began to show 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.” Bred by Francois Naude, Snitzel was born on August 24, 2002, and was the second foal of tough dual Listed winner Snippet’s Lass (Snippets) who won seven races and was placed in Listed company a further six times. She was a full sister to Gr3 Missile Stakes winner Captain Bax, who won ten times, and they were both out of Irish Listed winner Snow Finch (Storm Bird).
Snippet’s Lass would go on to produce Gr3 winner and Gr1 placed Hinchinbrook (Fastnet Rock), Gr3 winner Viennese (Redoute’s Choice), stakes placed Weiner (More Than Ready) who became the dam of Gr1 winner Rediener (Redoute’s Choice), Listed winner Rathlin (Fastnet Rock), and two stakes placed horses including Za Zi Ba (All Too Hard) the dam of this season’s Gr3 Black Opal Stakes winner King Of Pop (Farnan). Snippet’s Lass is also the granddam of Gr1 winner Private Eye (Al Maher), and 2020/21’s Champion 2YO Filly Arcaded (Street Boss).
Snitzel was from the second crop of Redoute’s Choice, who would go on to be a multiple Champion Sire for Arrowfield Stud, and who was a son of Arrowfield’s Champion Sire Danehill. “Like his sire Redoute’s Choice and grandsire Danehill, Snitzel became a cornerstone not only of Arrowfield’s breeding program, 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.” Not a big horse, Snitzel was sent to the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale of 2004 as part of Yarraman Park Stud’s draft, Snitzel was purchased by trainer Gerald Ryan for $260,000.
He immediately showed his precocity, winning the Listed Breeders’ Plate on debut as a September juvenile, then won twice more in December, before running third in the R-Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic. Sent back to Sydney, he won the Gr3 Skyline Stakes, then disappointed in the Gr1 Golden Slipper when finishing 12th in the field of 16. Arrowfield Stud recognised his potential, buying into Snitzel at the end of his two- year-old campaign. Back at three, Snitzel ran third when resuming in the Gr3 San Domenico Stakes, then won the Gr3 Up & Coming Stakes.
From there, he had three Gr1 starts, winning the Gr1 Oakleigh Plate in the autumn and assuring his place at stud as a three-year-old capable of besting the older horses as a Gr1 winning sprinter. He ran into Champion Sprinter Takeover Target when second to him in the Gr1 Newmarket Handicap next start, then added the Gr2 Challenge Stakes before another Gr1 placing in the Gr1 TJ Smith Stakes. Snitzel retired with seven wins from 15 starts and earnings over $1 million.
He finished the season at the head of both lists. Drawn live from this issue’s statistics.
| # | Stallion | Rnrs | Wnrs | SW | Wnrs/Rnrs % | SW/Rnrs % | Wins | SWins | G1 | Earnings | Best progeny | Progeny earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snitzel, 2002, by Redoute's Choice | 277 | 139 | 17 | 50.2 | 6.1 | 210 | 28 | 6 | $25,006,327 | Lady Shenandoah | $2,553,250 |
| 2 | Zoustar, 2010, by Northern Meteor | 342 | 153 | 11 | 44.7 | 3.2 | 248 | 17 | 1 | $19,315,822 | Joliestar | $4,498,500 |
| 3 | The Autumn Sun, 2015, by Redoute's Choice | 179 | 76 | 5 | 42.5 | 2.8 | 114 | 11 | 2 | $18,121,823 | Autumn Glow | $8,562,500 |
| 4 | I Am Invincible, 2004, by Invincible Spirit (IRE) | 305 | 144 | 11 | 47.2 | 3.6 | 208 | 13 | 2 | $16,635,305 | Caballus | $1,826,645 |
| 5 | Street Boss (USA), 2004, by Street Cry (IRE) | 138 | 60 | 7 | 43.5 | 5.1 | 95 | 14 | 4 | $14,759,389 | Tempted | $4,438,500 |
| 6 | Per Incanto (USA), 2004, by Street Cry (IRE) | 91 | 50 | 4 | 54.9 | 4.4 | 86 | 4 | 1 | $14,662,349 | Jimmysstar (NZ) | $6,682,000 |
| 7 | So You Think (NZ), 2006, by High Chaparral (IRE) | 324 | 149 | 8 | 46.0 | 2.5 | 221 | 12 | 0 | $12,856,600 | Getta Good Feeling | $1,261,115 |
| 8 | Hellbent, 2012, by I Am Invincible | 241 | 105 | 4 | 43.6 | 1.7 | 165 | 5 | 0 | $12,310,221 | Vivy Air | $2,036,750 |
| 9 | Fastnet Rock, 2001, by Danehill (USA) | 78 | 27 | 4 | 34.6 | 5.1 | 44 | 6 | 1 | $12,189,743 | Via Sistina (IRE) | $6,581,500 |
| 10 | Written Tycoon, 2002, by Iglesia | 292 | 142 | 8 | 48.6 | 2.7 | 211 | 11 | 0 | $11,906,920 | Gangsta Granny | $628,000 |
| # | Stallion | Rnrs | Wnrs | SW | Wnrs/Rnrs % | SW/Rnrs % | Wins | SWins | G1 | Earnings | Best progeny | Progeny earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snitzel, 2002, by Redoute's Choice | 28 | 7 | 5 | 25.0 | 17.9 | 15 | 8 | 2 | $4,833,520 | Fireball | $2,035,000 |
| 2 | Home Affairs, 2018, by I Am Invincible | 34 | 9 | 2 | 26.5 | 5.9 | 11 | 3 | 1 | $4,622,100 | Guest House | $3,275,500 |
| 3 | Magnus, 2002, by Flying Spur | 4 | 1 | 1 | 25.0 | 25.0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | $2,428,100 | Streisand | $2,422,500 |
| 4 | Supido, 2011, by Sebring | 9 | 2 | 1 | 22.2 | 11.1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | $1,955,280 | Unit Five | $1,881,600 |
| 5 | Too Darn Hot (GB), 2016, by Dubawi (IRE) | 21 | 7 | 3 | 33.3 | 14.3 | 10 | 3 | 0 | $1,834,985 | Tornado Valley | $783,145 |
| 6 | Street Boss (USA), 2004, by Street Cry (IRE) | 18 | 3 | 2 | 16.7 | 11.1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | $1,497,539 | Closer to Free | $580,750 |
| 7 | Spirit of Boom, 2007, by Sequalo | 30 | 9 | 1 | 30.0 | 3.3 | 12 | 1 | 0 | $1,334,520 | Boomelli | $240,100 |
| 8 | Hellbent, 2012, by I Am Invincible | 24 | 6 | 1 | 25.0 | 4.2 | 8 | 1 | 0 | $1,240,860 | Revengeance | $603,400 |
| 9 | Extreme Choice, 2013, by Not a Single Doubt | 7 | 4 | 3 | 57.1 | 42.9 | 6 | 4 | 0 | $1,232,450 | Berzelius | $630,750 |
| 10 | I Am Invincible, 2004, by Invincible Spirit (IRE) | 27 | 6 | 2 | 22.2 | 7.4 | 8 | 2 | 0 | $1,155,935 | Chayan | $337,000 |
One of the first sons of Redoute’s Choice to retire to stud, Snitzel served his first book at Arrowfield Stud in 2006 at a fee of $33,000 including GST. He would become known for throwing his own precocity with four Australian Champion 2YO Sire titles in 2016/17, 2017/18, 2019/20, 2022/23, and he currently leads the 2024/25 Champion 2YO Sire table with two months of the season to run. He has three Gr1 Golden Slipper winners Estijaab in 2018, Shinzo in 2023 and Marhoona in 2025.
At the time of his death, Snitzel had sired 1631 runners, 1282 winners (78.0%), with earnings of over $272 million. Of those 160 stakes winners (9.8% of his runners) with a further 141 stakes placegetters. He won his first Australian Champion Sire title in 2016/17 with an impressive 26 individual stakes winners during the year, and his highest earner was Redzel who won just under $1 million of Snitzel’s $16.2 million in progeny earnings. Redzel would win The Everest in the following season to contribute $7.5 million towards Snitzel’s Championship winning $29.2 million in progeny earnings for 2017/18 and his second title.
The following season, Snitzel’s domination continued with his third title and $24.2 million in progeny earnings with Redzel winning his second The Everest and adding another $6.8 million in prizemoney. Snitzel’s fourth title would come the following season in 2019/20 with progeny earnings over $17 million, led by Away Game’s $2.7 million haul for the season. This season, 2024/25, he sits in fourth behind Zoustar with progeny earnings over $20 million. He is also third on the 2024/25 Broodmare Sire table, leading the 2YO table, and a close second to Written Tycoon on the 3YO table.
With 33 sons at stud, Snitzel’s long term legacy is assured, and his sons already include proven Gr1 sires Shamus Award, Russian Revolution, with young sons like Shinzo, Switzerland, In The Congo, Sword Of State and Wild Ruler still to come with runners. His broodmare daughters have already produced 46 stakes winners led by Gr1 Golden Slipper winner Mossfun (Mossman), and five other Gr1 winners - three of whom are by Written Tycoon, being Captured By Love, Velocious, and Private Life.
Snitzel produced the types of horses that the Australian commercial market adores, early maturing sprinting horses who trained on and were competitive in the best company. Snitzel may have been small in statue but he was a giant of the breed.BB