Greatness Creates a Pattern: First foals impress for Bodyguard
The first foals by Armidale Stud’s Group-winning juvenile Bodyguard are arriving this spring, and already a clear pattern is beginning to emerge.
A $1.6 million Magic Millions yearling, Bodyguard quickly justified his price tag on the racetrack. Trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, he was an explosive two-length winner of the Listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m) on debut before returning to claim the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield.
By three-time Champion Sire I Am Invincible, Bodyguard is out of the Fastnet Rock mare Tumooh, a daughter of Golden Slipper winner Mossfun. It is a pedigree built around speed and elite juvenile performance, qualities Bodyguard himself displayed and that are now beginning to emerge in his first foals.
With his first crop now arriving, Armidale Stud’s David Whishaw has been impressed by the consistency across Bodyguard’s early foals.
“We were drawn to Bodyguard because he had everything we were looking for in a young stallion. He is an outstanding type, had genuine speed and precocity, and he has the pedigree to back it up,” Whishaw said.
“To now see those qualities coming through in his first foals is really exciting. Across the foals we’ve seen so far, there’s plenty of strength and substance, good bone and great shape about them. They’re athletic foals with plenty of presence, but what has impressed us most is the consistency across the crop.
“He was very well supported in his first season and covered some high-quality mares, both from our own broodmare band and from breeders who got behind him. When you start seeing the same qualities coming through across foals from different types of mares, it gives you plenty of confidence.”
Among Bodyguard’s first foals is a filly out of Arenzano, dam of 11-time winner and multiple stakes winner Durazzo, as well as last season’s Listed Tasmanian Guineas winner Mazzini.
Flying Krupt, dam of unbeaten stakes winner and 2025/26 Champion Tasmanian 2YO Aristopolos, was among the mares to visit Bodyguard in his debut season. Her resulting filly has impressed from the outset, with plenty of strength and presence.
Listed Elwick Stakes winner Needs Sugar, one of Tasmania’s leading two-year-olds of her generation, has produced an outstanding first foal by Bodyguard. The Needs Further mare was also runner-up in the Listed Gold Sovereign Stakes during an accomplished juvenile campaign.
Two-year-old stakes-placed Miss Tuppence has delivered an upstanding colt by Bodyguard, showing plenty of size, scope and power.
Roxy Blue, herself a two-year-old stakes performer and multiple winner, has an impressive colt by Bodyguard.
With his first foals now on the ground, the consistency evident across Bodyguard’s debut crop provides an exciting early indication of what lies ahead.
Bodyguard stands at Armidale Stud at a fee of $8,800 (inc GST) in 2026.
For bookings and enquiries, contact Armidale Stud.
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