Redoute’s Choice
Many leading international and local sires achieved memorable moments in 2017. Big names of the past few years have by and large continued to dominate racing throughout the world, and no doubt more landmarks will be achieved in 2018.
150 up for Redoute’s Choice
Australia’s triple champion sire, Redoute’s Choice, whose runners have made such a notable impact on the South African racetrack, was represented by his 150th individual stakes winner when his daughter, Perfect Jewel, won the Listed Belgravia Stakes in Perth in October.
Perfect Jewel is one of 14 black type winners this year for her sire, whose 30 plus Gr1 winners include champions Lankan Rupee, Samantha Miss, Miss Finland and Musir. Redoute’s Choice’s sons, Mustaaqeem and Rafeef, won the Gr1 SA Nursery and Gr1 Computaform Sprint respectively on the same day earlier this year.
Gr1 SA Nursery winner Mustaaqeem charges clear (Pic – JC Photos)
The Irish bred son of Redoute’s Choice, Buffalo Bill Cody, recently made a winning debut in South Africa and he is also sire of reigning Australian champion sire, Snitzel, whose son, Redzel, won the inaugural $10 000 000 The Everest and Saturday’s Gr1 Darley Classic.
Danehill’s four time Gr1 winning son is well represented in South Africa, where his sire sons include Rafeef, Redoute’s Promise, Time Thief and multiple Gr1 winner, Wylie Hall.
Galileo reaches 250
Galileo
The world’s premier sire, and increasingly successful sire of sires, Galileo, was represented by his 250th stakes winner this year.
The former Epsom Derby winner reached this landmark when his daughter, To Eternity, won the Listed EBF Chalice Stakes at Newmarket in August. It has been another outstanding year for Galileo, who has had no fewer than 12 Gr1 winners in 2017. Among the major races won by his progeny were both the English and the Irish 1000 and 2000 Guineas, the Juddmonte International, the Irish Champion Stakes, the Cheveley Park Stakes, the Coronation Stakes and the Coral-Eclipse.
His sons, Frankel, Nathaniel and Teofilo, were all represented by Gr1 winners, while Galileo’s dual Derby winning son, Australia, set the sales rings alight, with his first yearlings fetching up to €610 000.
It surely is a matter of time before Galileo – who has 265 black type winners to his name- overtakes Danehill – the latter’s tally of stakes winners being 347 – and becomes the world’s leading sire of individual stakes winners in history.
30 top flight winners for Dubawi
Darley’s remarkable stallion, Dubawi, whose offspring included no fewer than 8 Gr1 winners in 2017, was represented by his 30th individual Gr1 winner when his daughter, Nezwaah, won the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh this year. Dubawi, whose other Gr1 winners in 2017 included Wild Illusion, Sobetsu and new sire, Zarak, also reached a milestone when his daughter, Wuheida, won the Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, to become her sire’s very first Breeders’ Cup winner.
Another landmark for Tapit
Gainesway Stud’s outstanding sire, Tapit, whose fee will once again be $300 000 in 2018, was another leading sire to achieve a notable landmark this year. The son of Pulpit was represented by his 100th individual stakes winner, when his son, Blind Ambition, won the Quick Call Stakes at Saratoga. Blind Ambition is one of 10 graded stakes winners for Tapit, champion sire in North America for the past 3 years, in 2017. Others include the Gr1 winners Cupid, Dream Dancing and Belmont Stakes winner, Tapwrit.
Tapit
30 Gr1 winners for Fastnet Rock
Coolmore’s remarkably successful stallion, Fastnet Rock, was another world class sire to achieve his 30th Gr1 winner in 2017. The son of Danehill reached this milestone when his son, Merchant Navy, won the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington and Shoals became her sire’s 31st Gr1 winner on the very same day, when she won the Myer Classic. Fastnet Rock, whose notable offspring include Oaks winner Qualify, Champion Stakes winning sire, Fascinating Rock and champion Australian filly, Atlantic Jewel, has 124 stakes winners to his name. Notably, he has a remarkable record with daughters of Galileo, with the Fastnet Rock/Galileo cross having already produced five Gr1 winners.
100 up for Deep Impact
Japan’s champion sire, and former Triple Crown winner, Deep Impact (Sunday Silence) also joined the 100 stakes winners club this year, when his 2yo son, Danon Premium, landed the Gr3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup. Deep Impact has been champion sire in Japan for the past five years running, and champion sire of 2yos in that country on five occasions – and his progeny are also enjoyed increasing success outside of Japan. His son, Tosen Stardom, picked up his second Australian Gr1 contest this weekend, when victorious in the Emirates Stakes, Tosen Stardom having previously tasted Gr1 success when landing the Toorak Handicap. Deep Impact is also responsible for this season’s top class 2yos, Saxon Warrior (Gr1 Racing Post Trophy), and September (Chesham Stakes, 2nd Gr1 Fillies Mile), both of whom look likely classic contenders for 2018.
Deep Impact (Sunday Silence – Wind In Her Hair)
Invincible Spirit gets 100th stakes winner
Invincible Spirit, by the hugely influential Green Desert, was yet another to join the sires of 100 black type winners this year. The former Gr1 Haydock Sprint Cup hero achieved this when his son, Inns Of Court, landed the Gr3 Prix du Palais-Royal. Inns Of Court was also a fiftieth group/graded winner for his sire, who stood for €120 000 in 2017. A half-brother to record breaking sire, Kodiac, Invincible Spirit has had 15 Gr1 winners, including successful sires, Lawman and I am Invincible, and champion, Kingman, whose first crop race in 2018.
