Group 1 trifecta for Hussonet

The 126th running of the Chilean Derby on Sunday produced an outstanding result for champion sire Hussonet whose daughters figure as the dams of the winner, and both placegetters.

The Clasico El Derby G1, held over 2400 metres on turf at Valparaiso, was won in powerful fashion – and a time of 2.25.50 – by Ashtar, with a length back to Sahara Sun. Last season’s male 2YO dirt champion Ascot Prince was more than two lengths away in third position.

Ashtar is a chestnut son of Merchant Of Venice, a Storm Cat half-brother to champion Argentine sire Orpen, from the unraced mare Mey. Hussonet was Chile’s dominant sire for almost a decade, winning seven General and five 2YO Sire premierships and is now making a serious impact there as a broodmare sire, with 18 stakeswinners (7.5%) from 239 runners, three of them Group One winners.

Second among the world’s leading active sires with 27 Group One winners, Hussonet is still in the early stages of his Australian stud career, with five crops of racing age, but has already achieved lasting fame as the sire of champion Weekend Hussler. His current 2YOs and yearlings, from his quality post-Weekend Hussler books, are odds-on to burnish his Australian record in coming seasons.

Hussonet is represented by 11 yearlings in the 2011 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale – and six of them are fillies.

Check out the Bellerive draft for Melbourne , which includes two colts and three fillies by Hussonet.