Hunter Valley studs to parade giants of world racing
14 Aug 2012 | By Brian Russell In four days, Thursday to Sunday August 23-27, Hunter Valley studs will show off what appears to be greatest collection of world class racehorses ever assembled in their stallion yards in the one Australian season.
All told eighty sires will be shown at the region’s annual pre-breeding season spring thoroughbred festival, one which also includes the 2012 National and NSW Breeding Awards Dinner at the Scone racecourse on Saturday evening August 25 and on the Friday, August 24, the Inglis annual Scone Broodmare sale and a Scone race meeting.
One of the big highlights of the sire parades will be the showing among the16 sires at Coolmore on the Sunday of newcomer So You Think, the eight times Group1 winner who after two Cox Plate wins conquered Europe to the extent he was considered one of the best middle distance performers in the world for the past two years.
There are awesome speedsters among the new sires on parade, including the Coolmore visitor Uncle Mo, a winner at two in America of two Group1s and races by margins up to14.3 lengths; and Dream Ahead (Emirates Park), one of Europe’s highest ranked 2-year-olds ever and the top 3-year-old sprinter of 2011.
A big attraction at the Arrowfield stud is to be one of the greatest American grass track performers to visit Australia. He is the Tale of the Cat product Gio Ponti, a champion in 2010 and 2011, winner of 12 races, including seven Group1s, and earner of over $6million.
Arrowfield will also be showing Redoute’s Choice and Flying Spur, two of the five in the Hunter Valley who have been champion Australian Sires. Coolmore has two of the others, Encosta de Lago and 2011-12 record earnings setter Fastnet Rock, and the other is the Darley stud based Hunter Valley bred Australian Horse of the Year Lonhro.
The program for the 2012 Hunter Valley stallion showings, some of which are open house and others by invitation, follows. It includes the list of sires.
ARROWFIELD, Scone, Open House Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday August 23, 24, 25, 26: ALL AMERICAN (Red Ransom (USA) – Milva (USA), by Strawberry Road), BENETEAU (Redoute’s Choice –Slice of Paradice, by Encosta de Lago), CHARGE FORWARD (Red Ransom (USA) – Sydney’s Dream, by Bletchingly), FLYING SPUR (Danehill (USA) - Rolls (USA), by Mr. Prospector), GIO PONTI (USA) (Tale of the Cat (USA) – Chipeta Springs, by Alydar), MANHATTAN RAIN (Encosta de Lago – Shantha’s Choice, by Canny Lad), NOT A SINGLE DOUBT (Redoute’s Choice – Singles Bar, by Rory’s Jester), REDOUTE’S CHOICE (Danehill (USA) – Shantha’s Choice, by Canny Lad), SMART MISSILE (Fastnet Rock – Comical Smile (USA), by Comic Strip), SNITZEL (Redoute’s Choice – Snippet’s Lass, by Snippets), STARCRAFT (Soviet Star (USA) – Flying Floozie, by Pompeii Court (USA).
COOLMORE, Jerrys Plains, Sunday August 26 10am and 1.0pm: CHOISIR (Danehill Dancer (IRE) – Great Selection, by Lunchtime (GB)), DUKE OF MARMALADE (IRE) (Danehill – Love Me True, by Kingmambo), DYLAN THOMAS (USA) (Danehill – Lagrion, by Diesis), ENCOSTA DE LAG0 (Fairy King (USA) – Shoal Creek, by Star Way (GB), EXCELLENT ART (USA) (Pivotal – Obsessive, by Seeking the Gold), FASTNET ROCK (Danehill (USA) – Piccadilly Circus, by Royal Academy (USA), HARADASUN (Fusaichi Pegasus (USA) – Circles of Gold, by Marscay), HENRYTHENAVIGATOR (USA) (Kingmambo – Sequoyah, by Sadler’s Wells), HIGH CHAPARRAL (IRE) (Sadler’s Wells – Kasora, by Darshaan), LOOKIN AT LUCKY (USA) (Smart Strike – Private Feeling, by Belong to Me), MUSIR (Redoute’s Choice – Dizzy de Lago, by Encosta de Lago), ORAT0RIO (IRE) (Danehill – Mahrah, by Vaguely Noble), SO YOU THINK (High Chaparral (IRE) – Triassic, by Tights (USA), SPINNING WORLD (USA) (Nureyev – Imperfect Circle, by Riverman), UNCLE MO (Indian Charlie – Playa Maya, by Arch), ZOFFANY (IRE) (Dansili – Tyranny, by Machiavellian).
DARLEY, Aberdeen: AD VALOREM (USA) (Danzig – Classy Women, by Relaunch), AUTHORIZED (IRE) (Montjeu – Funsie, by Saumarez), BENFICA (Lonhro - Hut, by Danehill (USA), BERNARDINI (USA) (A P Indy – Mien, by Nureyev), CANNY LAD (Bletchingly – Desmond Lass, by Lunchtime (GB), COMMANDS (Danehill (USA) – Cotehele House (GB), by My Swanee), DENMAN (Lonhro – Peach, by Vain), EXCEED AND EXCEL (Danehill (USA) – Patrona (USA), by Lomond), HENNY HUGHES (USA) (Hennessy – Meadow Flyer, by Meadowlake), LONHRO (Octagonal – Shadea, by Straight Strike (USA), MEDAGLIA d’ORO (USA) (El Prado – Cappucino Bay, by Bailjumper), POET’S VOICE (GB) (Dubawi – Bright Tiara, by Chief’s Crown), SHAFT (Flying Spur – Traceable, by Rahy), STREET CRY (IRE) (Machiavellian – Helen Street, by Troy), STREET SENSE (USA) (Street Cry – Bedazzle, by Dixieland Band),TEOFILO (IRE) (Galileo – Speirbhean, by Danehill), TIME THIEF (Redoute’s Choice – Procrastinate, by Jade Hunter (USA).
EMIRATES PARK, Murrurundi, Open House 9am – 4pm from August 24 to August 27: AL MAHER (Danehill (USA) – Show Dancing, by Don’t Say Halo (USA), EAVESDROPPER (USA) (Kingmambo – Weekend Surprise, by Secretariat), MUTAWAAJID (Redoute’s Choice – Elated Lady, by Vain) and newcomer DREAM AHEAD (USA) (Diktat – Land of Dreams, by Cadeaux Genereux).
KITCHWIN HILLS, Scone, Saturday August 25 at 4.30 p.m: DANE SHADOW (Danehill (USA) – Slight Chance, by Centaine), DUPORTH (Red Ransom (USA) – Staging, by Success Express (USA).
LINCOLN FARM, Murrurundi: ARLINGTON (Red Ransom (USA) – Savannah Success, by Success Express (USA), READY’S IMAGE (USA) (More Than Ready (USA) – Clever Phrase, by Clever Trick).
NEWGATE FARM, Scone, Saturday and Sunday, August 25 and 26 8.45am – 9am: FOXWEDGE (Fastnet Rock – Forest Native (USA), by Forest Wildcat).
PATINACK FARM, Sandy Hollow, Friday August 24 (evening): BEAUTIFUL CROWN (USA) (Chief’s Crown – Beautiful Glass, by Pass the Glass), CASINO PRINCE (Flying Spur – Lady Capel, by Last Tycoon (IRE), HUSSON (ARG) (Hussonet (USA) – Villa Elisa, by Roy) , LOPE DE VEGA (IRE) (Shamardal – Lady Vettori), MURTAJILL (Rock of Gibraltar (IRE).
TURANGGA, Scone: MONEY OR THE GUN (Octagonal – Sister Canny, by Bletchingly, ZIZOU (Fusaichi Pegasus (USA) – Natural Is My Name, by Naturalism).
VINERY, Scone, Saturday and Sunday August 25 and 26, 9.0am: CONGRATS (USA) (A P Indy – Praise, by Mr. Prospector), DUBLEO (USA) (Southern Halo – Secret Red, by Secretariat), EXCITES (Danewin – Staging, by Success Express (USA), MORE THAN READY (USA) (Southern Halo – Woodman’s Girl, by Woodman (USA), MOSSMAN (Success Express (USA) – Lichen Lady, by Twig Moss (FR), MYBOY CHARLIE (IRE) (Danetime – Dulceata, by Rousillon), ONEMORENOMORE (Red Ransom (USA) – Palia, by Last Tycoon (IRE), PLUCK (USA) (More Than Ready (USA) – Secret Heart, by Fort Wood),TESTA ROSSA (Perugino (USA) – Bo Dapper, by Sir Dapper).
WIDDEN STUD, Widden Valley, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday August 23, 25, 26, 27 at 11am: DREAMSCAPE (Choisir – Faith in Dreams (USA), by Ferdinand), LUCKY OWNERS (Danehill (USA) – Miss Priority, by Kaapstad), NICCONI (Bianconi (USA) – Nicola Lass, by Scenic (IRE), NORTHERN METEOR (Encosta de Lago – Explosive (USA), by Fappiano), SEBRING (More Than Ready (USA) – Purespeed, by Flying Spur, SNIPPETS0N (Snippets – Snowdrift (FR), by Polish Precedent), STAR WITNESS (Starcraft – Leone Chiara, by Lion Hunter), STRATUM (Redoute’s Choice – Bourgeois, by Luskin Star),TICKETS (Redoute’s Choice – Staging, by Success Express (USA).
YARRAMAN PARK, Scone, Sunday August 26 at 9.30: MAGIC ALBERT (Zeditave – Sally Lou, by Salieri (USA), TROTOMONDO (CH1) (Hussonet (USA) – Movie Producer, by Give Me Strength) and I AM INVINCIBLE (Invincible Spirit (IRE) – Cannarelle, by Canny Lad), HINCHINBROOK (Fastnet Rock – Snippet’s Lass, by Snippets).