Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed’s buy out in mid 2008 for his Australian arm of his world thoroughbred monolith Darley group of the Inghams Woodlands stud and racing empire, including all breeding stock, racehorses and property, for a reputed astronomical half billion dollars reaped huge rewards in the 2010-11 racing year.

Many of the huge collection of racehorses he raced during the year under his name and the training banner of Scone born horseman Peter Snowden were bred by the Inghams on Woodlands near Denman and three leading sire titles fell between them to two sires that came with the deal, Lonhro and Commands.

On the racing scene, Snowden oversaw nationally winners of 224 races and $16.2million, both the most for the year for one stable. They were second to Chris Waller in the Sydney trainership 90.5 wins and fourth with 35 on the Peter Moody headed Melbourne table.

The 2010-11 sire statistics were a big milestone for the Darley stud complex near Aberdeen in the Hunter Valley, not only through the Ingham acquisitions, Lonhro and Commands, but also through two other sires in their stallion yards, shuttled Elusive Quality and local star Exceed and Excel.

Lonhro has claimed the Australian Champion Sire title with 129 winners (13 2yos) (241 runners) of 229 wins and over $8.7million, a million dollars more than his nearest rival, Arrowfield stud’s Redoute’s Choice. Besides being the leader by money, he was the most successful by stakes winners (14) and third by winners and wins.

His success by earnings gives the Australian product the Champion sire title for the sixth successive year, preceded by Redoute’s Choice (twice), Encosta de Lago (twice, Coolmore) and Flying Spur (once, Arrowfield). All are in the Hunter Valley.

Bred on Woodlands and raced by the Inghams, Lonhro, ranks among the greatest Australian racehorses of modern times. He was named Australian Horse of the Year and World Champion Middle Horse for 2004 and through his 35 start career won 26 races (24 Group events, including 11 Group1s)1100m – 2000m and earned $5,790,510.

A son of the New Zealand bred Ingham raced Zabeel Australian Horse of the Year Octagonal and Shadea, a high class race filly by the Mr. Prospector sire Straight Strike, Lonhro boasts a grandsire, Zabeel, and great grandsire, St Tristram, who each have been Champion Australian Sire.

He is also the second champion sire produced on Woodlands, sharing this distinction with1982 Biscay Golden Slipper winner Marscay. Used at the Widden Stud, he was twice champion sire. Marscay was bred by the Lord Derby – King partnership when they briefly owned Woodlands.

Third by earnings, $7.28millon, for 2010-11 is Commands, the leader by winners (155,12 2yos) and wins (265 wins), new national numerical records, from 328 runners.

A son of Danehill and a close relation to Octagonal, Commands was bred by Arrowfield and raced by the Inghams. He did not win above Group 3 level, the STC Missile Stakes, but suggested top class with a second in the AJC The Galaxy and a third in the Caulfield Guineas.

Like Lonhro, Commands started his stud career at Woodlands and like him all his runners in 2010-11 were from matings at that stud in Ingham ownership. The 2-year-olds, however, were foaled in the spring following the Darley take over.

Darley only used sires took two juvenile titles for the year, that by money, Elusive Quality (USA) (by the Mr. Prospector sire Gone West) (5 winners, $3,059,590), and by winners, Australian bred Exceed and Excel (Danehill) (23 winners). The Australian record for most juvenile winners is held by South Australian importation Without Fear, the source of 30 winners in his first crop.

Elusive Quality supplied the Darley bred and Sheikh Mohammed raced champion 2-year-old Sepoy (five wins, including Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper) and Exceed and Excel was third by money.

LONHRO’S BROTHER DIES: The death occurred last week at the Chatswood stud, Seymour, Victoria of Lonhro’s two years younger brother Niello, a winner of three Group1s in Sydney, the Spring Champion Stakes, Rosehill Guineas and Canterbury Guineas. He has had winners in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Launceston, Hong Kong and New Zealand. A daughter, Ipioga, finished third in Adelaide in their two Oaks races.