Greg Hickman delighted about stud success of former stable star Pierata

Group 1 winner Pierata has had an excellent debut season as a sire as a promising son of his heads to Rosehill on Saturday.

Prorata, the son of emerging sire Pierata, races at Rosehill on Saturday. Picture: Bradley Photos

Trainer Greg Hickman never had any doubt former stable star Pierata would be a stallion success.

Pierata has had an excellent debut season at stud and is fourth on the First Season Premiership, siring eight individual winners including two stakes winners – Golden Slipper runner-up Coleman and Tobeornottobe.

“To train a horse as good as Pierata is something I will never forget, then for him to go to stud and be doing so well is very satisfying,” Hickman said.

“He’s going to be a top stallion for years to come.”

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Hickman has trained one of Pierata’s first-season two-year-old winners, the emerging Prorata who lines up in the Precise Air Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Prorata, a half-brother to the handy mare Lady Of Luxury, comes to Rosehill after breaking his maiden at his second career start with a strong win at Wagga Wagga nearly two months ago.

Hickman has given Prorata two barrier trials between runs and believes the colt can run a competitive race on Saturday.

“We were thinking about a race at Grafton but I decided to run him at Rosehill instead before he goes for a spell in Queensland,” Hickman said.

“He’s got some growing to do but he will make a nice three-year-old.”

Prorata takes out the first at Wagga for @HickmanRacing! pic.twitter.com/uXgGnK1l2G

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 31, 2024

Prorata is the rank outsider for the juvenile opener at $34 while stablemate Tiger Town is also the outsider for the James Squire Handicap (1500m) at $41.

“Tiger Town is not a $41 chance,” Hickman said.

“He has been in work a while but is holding his form and will be very competitive again.”

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Tiger Town shares his name with the former sprinter-miler trained by Brian Mayfield-Smith to win the Ajax Stakes and Clissold Stakes in 1977.

But Mayfield-Smith’s Tiger Town is best remembered for being runner-up in two Group 1 races – both behind 100/1 chances!

La Neige, trained by Bart Cummings and ridden by Alf Matthews, caused a boilover when she edged out Tiger Town to win the 1976 Epsom Handicap, then the following year at Eagle Farm, he was edged out by Sir Wisp, ridden by Glen Killen, in the Stradbroke Handicap.

Originally published as Greg Hickman delighted about stud success of former stable star Pierata