News

Redoute's Choice To Star At Easter

24th Mar 2005

At every major yearling sale there is always a horse that has everyone talking, one particular youngster whose reputation precedes him…or on occasion even her. At the 2005 Australian Easter Yearling Sale the talking horse is in fact a sire, the Arrowfield Stud based Redoute’s Choice.

A former champion racehorse and son of legendary sire Danehill (USA), Redoute’s Choice has taken all before him this season, producing ten individual juvenile stakes-winners including the winners of Group One classics such as the Golden Slipper and Blue Diamond.

Several colts by Redoute’s Choice are being spoken of as potential sale-toppers and two of the prime candidates will be offered during the third session by Glenn Burrows and Joan Farras of Willow Park Stud.

Willow Park will offer Lot 451 as agent for renowned breeder Catherine Remond, a dashing bay colt from Dora Maar, a half-sister to Group One winners Easy Rocking and Fairy King Prawn; and Lot 464, an equally appealing bay colt, the first foal of Eldarin, a full sister to the dam of Group One weight-for-age star Grand Armee.

“The Dora Maar colt is very much like Redoute’s Choice, look at his head, just like his sire,” said Burrows. “Being by a son of Danehill from a half-sister to the great Hong Kong champion Fairy King Prawn you would have to think there will be a lot of interest in this horse from Asian buyers.”

Across the road in Stable One, the Kelly family of Newhaven Park Stud are putting the polish on another Redoute’s Choice colt which is receiving rave reviews, Lot 149, the first foal of Saucy Nell, a half-sister to former champion two year old Encounter.

“He is an outstanding colt, magnificent head on him and the most amazing temperament,” said John Kelly. “His mother Saucy Nell was unraced, but she had a full sister called Sheerness, who we thought was going to be pretty special. She won a couple of trials and bolted in her first start at Randwick, then broker her leg the following Tuesday morning.”

Other Redoute’s Choice colts being tipped to star are the three-quarter brother to Makybe Diva (GB) from Arrowfield Stud (Lot 288) and the half-brother to Golden Slipper place-getter Media, from Twin Palms Stud (Lot 270).

The progeny of Redoute’s Choice seem to have one major thing in common which is a great temperament, an attribute highly prized by trainers and jockeys. Everywhere you go at this sale, strappers speak in glowing terms of their charges using phrases like “laid-back”, “easy-going” and “super-relaxed”.

Perhaps the last word on the subject should be left to John Kelly, “I’ve never seen a breed like it, they’re all the same…. just like big Labradors.”