New European stakeswinner for Redoute’s Choice
The one-and-only Redoute's Choice has now sired the winners of 316 Group & Listed Races in nine countries. (PHOTO: Bronwen Healy)
Eight days after posting his 33rd lifetime Group 1 winner, The Autumn Sun in Australia, the mighty Redoute’s Choice has added a new stakeswinner from the first of his two European-conceived crops.
That’s Al Shaqab Racing’s 4YO mare Wajnah who landed her third and most valuable win in Sunday’s Prix Urban Sea 2000m LR at Le Lion-d’Angers in Western France.
Trained by her co-breeder Francois Rohaut, Wajnah had shown enough ability earlier in her career to be sent to the French 1000 Guineas G1, where she finished a decent fourth before unplaced finishes over longer distances in Group 3 company.
Wajnah resumed in April with a second and then a fourth over 1600 metres, and in this contest settled near back of the field before being asked to pick up round the turn. She wound up steadily to sweep past Baltic Duchess in the final 50 metres, with Illaunmore third.
Wajnah was bred by Rohaut and Haras de Saint Pair which offered her at the 2015 Arqana October Sale where she was sold for €260,000 to Mandore International acting for Al Shaqab.
She is the third stakeswinner out of three-time winner Benzolina (by Second Empire), from the family of Group 1 winners Balbonella and her brilliant son Anabaa. Benzolina has a 2YO filly by Siyouni and a yearling filly by Olympic Glory.
Wajnah is the latest of 10 stakeswinners by Redoute’s Choice out of mares by Fairy King sons, a combination well-known in Australia where Encosta de Lago mares have left Group 1 winners Musir & Peeping and leading sire Beneteau to the three-time Champion Sire.
Haras de Saint Pair also played a part in the history of Redoute’s Choice’s 3YO daughter Lady Athena, who put up a fine effort for sixth in Sunday’s €1 million Chantilly Prix de Diane (French Oaks) 2100m G1.
Lady Athena settled near the rear of the field and struggled for a clear run at the top of the straight, but stayed on well in the final 200 metres to finish just ahead of the favourite Shahnaza.
Haras de Saint Pair sold Lady Athena’s dam, Listed winner Monblue (by Monsun), for €400,000 at the 2013 Arqana December Sale. The buyer was Damon Gabbedy’s Belmont Bloodstock acting for Australian owner & breeder John Hutchins and his family, who sent Monblue to Redoute’s Choice at HH Aga Khan’s Haras de Bonneval in 2014.
Lady Athena has won two of her four starts including an impressive win over the Prix de Diane course last month. She looks capable of joining the 7 stakeswinners that have so far emerged from Redoute’s Choice’s two French-conceived crops: Group 3 winners Gold Luck (also Group 1-placed), Ibiza & Sevenna Star, and Listed winners Spotify, Time’s Arrow, Lilac Fairy & Wajnah.
Worldwide during the 2017/18 Southern Hemisphere season, Redoute’s Choice has been represented by 14 stakeswinners of 15 Group & Listed Races. His career tally now stands at 159 stakeswinners, or just over 12 per cent of all his runners.
