21st Group race double for Redoute’s Choice
3YO colt The Elanora, descended from the great matron Denise's Joy, wins the Newcastle JC Spring S. G3 to become the 176th stakeswinner for Champion Sire Redoute's Choice. (PHOTO: Sportpix)
Few stallions ever get to put the numbers 176 & 177 next to their tally of stakeswinners but, almost 20 months after his death, Redoute’s Choice did it when The Elanora and Celebrity Queen won Group races in New South Wales and Western Australia on Saturday.
They also give the legendary sire the 21st same-day Group race double of his incredible stud career.
As it happens, both horses are bred on the Redoute’s Choice/More Than Ready cross, a combination that has produced five Group winners from only 30 Named Foals.
3YO colt The Elanora won the $160,000 Newcastle JC Spring S. 1600m G3 at only his fourth start for owner-breeder John Singleton’s Strawberry Hill Stud and trainer Chris Waller.
He is the second winner out of Yesterjoy, a winning daughter of four-time Group 1 winner Tuesday Joy, and closely related to the Champion More Joyous and another Group-winning colt War. Along with a host of other top horses, they are descended from the magnificent matron & dual Oaks winner Denise’s Joy, who is buried at Arrowfield.
Arrowfield mares Group 1 winner Fenway and multiple Group winner Don’t Doubt Mamma are also members of this stellar family.
The Elnora’s jockey Tommy Berry suggested, “He could be a Derby horse because he is that relaxed, and he was strong at the end of that race.”
Four hours later the Bob & Sandra Peters home-bred Celebrity Queen was rewarded for her consistency with her sixth and most valuable prize, the $150,000 Perth Racing Colonel Reeves S. 1100m G3 at Ascot. Her stablemate & relative Stageman (by Written Tycoon from a grand-daughter of Miss Margaret) flashed home late for second.
Celebrity Queen comes from a line of quality racemares that collectively won 20 races: Listed winner Celebrity Miss, dual Oaks winner Miss Margaret and Sir Tristram’s stakes-winning daughter Fancy Miss.
Fancy Miss was a half-sister to Bellota, a very fine New Zealand racemare of the 1970s who was also the dam of John Messara’s first Group 1 winner, 1983 AJC Oaks winner Starzaan.
The Elanora and Celebrity Queen join another two Peters home-breds, Perfect Jewel & Windstorm, plus 3YO colt Confrontational to give Redoute’s Choice five Australian stakeswinners this season.
As his racetrack representation begins, inevitably, to diminish, the three-time Champion Sire is comfortably maintaining his elite 12% Stakeswinners/Runners strike rate.
Ten yearlings from Redoute’s Choice’s final, small crop will be offered at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale, including three colts in the Arrowfield draft.
