Neville & Susan Duncan of Oakland Park Stud in Western Australia may well be wondering if they've missed something if they read today's article penned by Nathan Exelby - editor of The Australasian Turf Monthly (who is also a feature writer with AAP).

Exelby would appear to be privy to some insider information that the Duncans aren't.

You see, Xaar is supposedly moving to Oakland Park for the 2005 season (from his current base at Darley in the Hunter Valley). Reading Exelby's article however you could be forgiven for thinking that all that Western Australian marketing had been in vain.

In the AAP article titled "Clock Has Ticked Over For Xaar", Exelby writes:

"It's ironic how often a stallion will produce a feature race winner after being banished by the market place. The Zafonic stallion Xaar will not be part of Darley Australia's 16 strong roster in 2005, despite being a regular here for the past few seasons.

[...]

"Xaar scored his most important win as a sire in Australia when Overclock finished strongly to take the Group 3 Lakewood Stud Stakes at Cheltenham yesterday... She becomes just the second stakes winner for her sire in Australia, following the earlier success of Western Australian filly No Questions. Three-year-old filly Written By Xaar has also been stakes placed this season.

"Xaar ... has been a disappointment at stud, with only two stakes winners in the Northern Hemisphere to go with his duo down here.

"He is unlikely to be seen in Australia again, although in Overclock, he may have produced a filly to give him his best chance at a Group 1 win here."

For the record - Stallions indicates that XAAR will indeed stand at Oakland Park Stud Marybrook WA for a fee of $8,800 inc GST Payment on live foal (Conditions apply).