We all know that breeding thoroughbreds is an exercise in ongoing conjecture but it’s always an especially interesting time when stallions have their first-crop 3YOs in action.
Readers of this site will have been well aware of my enthusiasm for Highly Recommended but there are a couple of other stallions in this year-group which are also looking distinctly promising – Reliable Man and Burgundy.
Purchasers of this year’s edition of my Karaka Yearling Sales Buyers’ Guide will certainly have noticed my endorsement of Reliable Man – several of his yearlings rated very highly indeed and one, the grey filly ex Run To The Bank, was purchased by long-term client, Christchurch trainer Kevin Hughes who outlaid what now appears to be a bargain $40,000 for the upstanding youngster. Reliable Man has two live VRC Derby prospects – SW Main Stage (ex Kiri, a stakes winning Prized mare with a strong affection for wet tracks) and SP Sully, already Group 1 placed in the STC Spring Champion Stakes and out of a mare bred on the Casual Lies – Kaapstad cross.
The stallion I didn’t see coming was Burgundy. By Redoute’s Choice and thus a three-quarter brother to the highly successful racehorse and sire Darci Brahma, he always looked attractive on paper but I’ll admit that he just didn’t grab me. He tried hard in his races but always seemed to struggle against top-class opposition. Anyway, at the moment he has the equal-top rating colt in November’s 2000 Guineas (Hard Merchandize) and the second top-rating filly in the 1000 Guineas (Dijon Bleu). Whatever happens from here on in, that’s quite an achievement.
The current top-rating Guineas filly is the freakish Prom Queen and I must admit that I would be a much happier man if her sire, Super Easy, had a few more top-liners up and running. As you’ll imagine, I’m talking through my pocket as I have a share in a Super Easy 2YO and am the outright owner of a yearling and an about to be born foal by the same stallion.
Anyway, it’s still early days
