News

More Where He Came From

22nd Feb 2010

Breednet - Tara Madgwick - Monday, 22 February 2010

At the 2008 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale a Choisir colt from Gold Anthem was purchased for $120,000 – now a dual Group One winner of more than $1,3 million in prizemoney, sold for a reported $10 million as a sire prospect - Starspangedbanner is the fairytale result that will have yearling buyers searching for his successor at the Premier Yearling Sale in Melbourne next week.

The obvious place to start looking is with his Coolmore based sire Choisir (pictured) who has a draft of 20 catalogued for sale.

An outstanding sprinter who blazed the initial trail to Royal Ascot, Choisir has developed to be a very good sire indeed.

Choisir has never stood at a fee greater than $35,750 (his fee last spring) in seven years at stud and has produced 23 stakes-winners worldwide, 14 of them in the Southern Hemisphere and five in Australia this season – Starspangledbanner, Kasabian, Psychologist, Messenger and Kid Choisir.

The only sires who have posted more Australian stakes-winners this season are Redoute’s Choice (9), Encosta de Lago (7), Lonhro (7) and Fastnet Rock (6).

Also with five stakes-winners are Commands and More Than Ready (USA), so that is the company Choisir is keeping in terms of what his offspring can do on the track.

In the sale ring his progeny are still in the affordable range and Melbourne will offer considerable opportunity for his supporters with a selection of Choisir yearlings to follow.

Lot 23 Colt Choisir x Blue Music, by Bluebird (USA) – Lindsay Park Stud - Half-brother to five winners from the family of Group One winner Piavonic.

Lot 105 Filly Choisir x Dolphin Dance, by Dolphin Street (Fr) – Swettenham Stud - Third foal of good metropolitan winner Dolphin Dance, a winner of more than $272,000 in prizemoney.

Lot 215 Colt Choisir x Lanadee, by Snaadee (USA) - Eliza Park - Half-brother to brilliant stakes-winning sprinter Secret Flyer.

Lot 368 Filly Choisir x Rouge Femme, by Red Ransom (USA) – Torryburn Stud - Half-sister to unbeaten two year-old filly Chance Bye.