A Redoute's Choice kind of day
It was a Redoute’s Choice kind of day at Flemington on Saturday.
The champion sire opened the card with the fourth consecutive win by his daughter, Debbie Kepitis’ lovely mare All Cerise, and then his sire sons took centre stage.
Watching Sumaya Stables’ 2YO colt Weatherly win the $120,000 VRC Talindert S. LR revived memories of both his charismatic sire Beneteau and the juvenile Redoute’s Choice. Especially when he romped home without jockey Craig Williams needing to engage more than a couple of what he believes are the colt’s several gears.
That assessment is backed up by Weatherly’s sectionals. Despite a tardy start and ending up on the slower grandstand side with only two other horses, he produced a 33.47 last 600 metres to score by 1.5 lengths, easing down.
First start filly Conscious was an impressive runner-up with stakeswinner Jackson (by Not A Single Doubt) best of the railside runners, almost five lengths further back.
Watch Weatherly win the VRC Talindert S. LR.
Weatherly, named after the victorious 1962 America’s Cup defender, is trained by Paul Messara for his breeder, Chilean businessman Oussama Aboughazale, whose Australian thoroughbred interests are managed by his good friend, Arrowfield Chairman John Messara.
John Messara explains, “I met Oussama because he was an original shareholder in Hussonet, and he subsequently invested in several fillies here, and then bred and raced Beneteau with us.”
Beneteau’s bright star shone all too briefly, in a brilliant Blue Diamond Prelude G3 victory and a Blue Diamond G1 third, followed by early retirement and a much too early death in January 2013, leaving only 135 foals to build his stud record.
What a record it’s turning out to be. Thirty-one winners, including eleven stakes performers, five of them stakeswinners – enough to indicate that Beneteau would have stepped up alongside Snitzel and Not A Single Doubt to complete a formidable triumvirate of sensational Redoute’s Choice sons at Arrowfield.
Weatherly, whose dam Luna Bella (a sister to Group 2 winner Hips Don’t Lie, by Stravinsky) died last Spring after foaling a Redoute’s Choice filly, has given his owner and trainer a very desirable dilemma. Blue Diamond next week, or Golden Slipper next month?
Paul Messara says, “The horse’s welfare is number one and we’ll see how the horse is. It was only his second start in a race and we’ll take it from there.”
Around two hours after Weatherly’s win, Not A Single Doubt’s 3YO daughter Don’t Doubt Mamma defeated Egypt and Perfect Reflection in The Vanity 1400m G3, her second black type success and fourth win from 10 starts.
Watch Don’t Doubt Mamma win the VRC The Vanity G3.
Trainer Tony McEvoy said, “She surprised me a bit today, to come out and beat those other top line fillies and first-up today, fresh as she is, means there is a lot to look forward to.
“The Australian Guineas is a tempting offer for sure, but she’ll tell us where she is best suited. We’ll see how she comes through it – she’s a pretty uncomplicated filly.
“There’s a mares race (the Frances Tressady Stakes) back here and the Australian Guineas or we can go three weeks into the Coolmore Classic in Sydney. There are a few options to work out but it’s a nice problem to have.”
Don’t Doubt Mamma (ex Coconut Mamma, by Fantastic Light from the celebrated Denise’s Joy family) was purchased privately from Tyreel Stud by Blue Sky Bloodstock for Peter Katelanis and partners, most of whom also raced her year-older stakes-winning brother Risen From Doubt.
Arrowfield is breeding from Miss St Tropez (Magnus-Coconut Mamma), who has an All American weanling filly and is in foal to Animal Kingdom.
Five fillies and four colts by Redoute’s Choice will be offered by five vendors at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale which begins on Sunday 28 February.
