Stallions

Wylie Hall crowns Classic week for Redoute's Choice

3YO colt Wylie Hall has crowned a Classic week for champion sire Redoute’s Choice with victory in Saturday’s R1.5 million South African Derby 2450m G1 at Turffontein.

Pictured: Wylie Hall produced a resolute finish wide out on the track to win the rich South African Derby G1. (PHOTO: JC Photos)

Wylie Hall is the 23rd individual Group 1 winner by Redoute’s Choice, his 12th 3YO Classic winner and among his 19 worldwide stakeswinners this season.

Watch the video of the SA Derby here .

Eight days ago Redoute’s Choice’s 3YO daughter Royal Descent won the ATC Australian Oaks G1 in brilliant fashion by 10 lengths at Randwick. Yesterday at Morphettville Arrowfield graduate Grand Daughter was a gallant runner-up in the SAJC Australasian Oaks G1.

Trained by Weiho Marwing for owner Michael Leaf, Wylie Hall earned serious Derby consideration when he swept home late to win the Nijinsky Derby Trial 2000m LR at Turffontein on 6 April. He prevailed in the Derby by a half-length from his stablemate Gothic, with the Derby Trial runner-up Wild One 1.25 lengths back in third place.

Success in the Derby takes Wylie Hall’s record to 3 wins and 3 placings from 6 starts, all since the beginning of December.

Wylie Hall was bred by John Kelly at the Kelly family’s celebrated farm Newhaven Park which offered him at the 2011 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale. The purchaser at $205,000 was South African agent Andy Williams’ World Wide Bloodstock.

Wylie Hall is a half-brother to champion Hong Kong sprinter Absolute Champion, from an outstanding family that has also produced G1 Anamato and G3 Mearas to Redoute’s Choice, as well as G1 Dealer Principal (by Flying Spur) and multiple Group 1 winner Grand Armee.

Newhaven Park sold Beauty Belle’s colt by Encosta de Lago for $120,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale to well-known Hong Kong buyer Apollo Ng. Beauty Belle foaled a colt by Redoute’s Choice’s half-brother Manhattan Rain last spring.

Wylie Hall is the second Group 1 winner by Redoute’s Choice from a mare by a grandson of Star Kingdom, after the 2005 Golden Slipper winner and leading young sire Stratum.

Redoute’s Choice is currently serving a first-class book of mares at HH The Aga Khan’s Haras de Bonneval in France and will return to Arrowfield for the 2013 Australian breeding season, standing at a fee of $137,500 inc. GST.