RED RANSOM’S GR.1 BLITZ

Red Ransom
(Photo : Virtual Form Guide)

PROGENY OF RED RANSOM, GALILEO, HUSSONET AND ANABAA
FOR 2009 EMPERORS PALACE READY TO RUN SALE

That’s the headline with which Australia’s Daily Stallion Bulletin introduced their piece on the progeny of Red Ransom in Australia this year. Sire already of 13 Grade One winners around the world, this prolific son of Roberto has been on fire in Australia this year, with Grade One victories accruing to Typhoon Tracy (ex South African sprint sensation; Tracy’s Element), unbeaten to date; Onemorenomore, the Champagne Stakes hero, and Duporth, star of the BTC Cup (Gr.1) on May 9^th. These achievements apart, Red Ransom is also the sire of Australia’s leading first season stallion, Charge Forward, a resident of John Messara’s Arrowfield Stud in the Hunter Valley, whose book for the forthcoming season overflows as a result of his excellent start.

Which brings us to the point. Included in Summerhill’s Emperor’s Palace Ready To Run draft for 2009 is an outstanding Vinery-bred specimen by Red Ransom, a big strong, scopey colt of great presence. He landed at the farm towards the end of last week, together with two daughters, if you can believe it, of the outstanding stallion in Europe right now, Galileo. Also on board were a son of each of two of the worlds best stallions in opposite hemispheres, Hussonet and Anabaa, the latter sadly recently deceased, which adds a rarity value to this colt.

There’ll obviously be more on these horses as we get closer to the sale, but for the time being, it’s lip-licking stuff.

ARROWFIELD STUD : A world leader leads the way

Redoute’s Choice
(Photo : Arrowfield Stud)

Events at Sydney’s Easter Sale, showcase of Australia’s Thoroughbred industry, have prompted a major re-think on stallion fees by that country’s marquee farms. John Messara’s Arrowfield Stud, has headed the change with its announcement of fees for the forthcoming season, largely characterised by dramatic reductions. Of course, most of Arrowfield’s stallions come off a very substantial base, and in the current climate this would not be sustainable. Public spiritedness has brought about the revision.

“We have elected to fully recognise the current market situation, occasioned by the global financial crisis and to adjust our fees to levels which will ensure breeders can achieve profitable outcomes by using Arrowfield’s first class stallion line-up,” John Messara said. “While the Easter yearling average was down about a third on the 2008 figure, it should be remembered that the service fees at the time of conception of these yearlings made a lot of the Easter trade quite profitable.”

“The other factor that breeders should consider is that the 2009 conceptions will not be sold until the 2012 yearling sales, by which time it is hoped the economy will have recovered.”

”Redoute’s Choice fee for 2009 will now be $198,000 (inc GST), down from $330,000. Going against the trend is the country’s leading first season sire by earnings, Charge Forward, which will stand at $27,000, an increase of 11 per cent.”

The new Arrowfield fees:

Charge Forward $27,500 (inc GST) up 11%
Danzero $22,000 (inc GST) down 20%
Flying Spur $82,500 (inc GST) down 40%
Hussonet (USA) $71,500 (inc GST) down 48%
Not A Single Doubt $13,750 (inc GST) unchanged
Redoute’s Choice $198,000 (inc GST) down 40%
Snitzel $22,000 (inc GST) down 33%
Starcraft (NZ) $22,000 (inc GST) down 33%

The bones are being thrown - and the portents are better by the day

Followers of our notes on the forthcoming Ready To Run Sale, will no doubt have taken note that World Champion racehorse, HAWK WING (now 14 Juvenile winners in his first crop) had featured so prominently at the big French yearling sale.

He was in the news again yesterday, with a €440,000 (R4,5 million) colt at the Deauville, a compliment to this young sire’s start at stud, and we’re reminded how fortunate we are to be offering a quality colt by Hawk Wing on the 4^th November. Michael Azzie bought the other one at the National Sales, paying just 10% of what the French colt realized, which tells us how big the “international” (or South African) discount is.

Another stallion with a decent colt representative in the Ready To Run consignment is DANEHILL DANCER, who’s been very much in the news of late with a major juvenile winner at the York meeting, who ran away with the Acoumb Stakes (Gr.3) by a growing 3 ½ lengths.

Demi Star (Gold Circle)That wasn’t the end for Danehill Dancer though, as Charles Laird produced an obviously talented first-timer at Clairwood yesterday, DEMI STAR, which strode off by 5 uncontested lengths. Coolmore have always claimed Danehill Dancer could be the logical successor to his late lamented father, and the writing’s on the wall, which bodes well for the Summerhill entry of an athletic, well grown colt also due to greet the auctioneer on 4^th November.

Flight Queen (Gold Circle)Last, but by no means least, Dennis Drier’s follow-up victory with the FANTASTIC LIGHT filly, FLIGHT QUEEN, at the same meeting, reminded us all what a great racehorse (World Champion) her sire was. Again, Ready To Run watchers can savour the thought that we have a very smart youngster out of the session – topping mare at the Magic Millions Bloodstock sale, on offer. And he’s from one of Australia’s hottest families at present, that of SYDNEY’S DREAM and Arrowfield stallion, CHARGE FORWARD.