Four 2009-10 champions by Arrowfield sires

Arrowfield stallions Redoute’s Choice , Flying Spur and Starcraft are responsible for four category leaders on the 2009/10 Australia and New Zealand Thoroughbred Classifications, released today by the Australian Racing Board.

MELITO (Redoute’s Choice-Cloister), pictured, right, beating Hot Danish in the AJC Smith S. G1, is the Leading 3YO Sprinter and Mile Filly with a rating of 115, following her splendid season of nine Group One starts for two wins in that company, in the Qld Tatt’s RC Winter S. G1 and AJC T.J. Smith S. G1, and five Group One placings.

Her brilliant Queensland Derby G1 victory has earned DARIANA (Redoute’s Choice-Beldarian) top spot in the 3YO Long & Extended Distance Filly category with a figure of 112, alongside AJC Oaks G1 winner Once Were Wild.

MRC Arrowfield Stud Blue Diamond S. G1 winner STAR WITNESS (Starcraft-Leone Chiara) is the co-Champion 2YO Colt with a 112 rating. Star Witness led a group of nine winners from the first southern hemisphere crop of Starcraft, who finished 2009/10 among the top ten Australian First Season Sires.

BENETEAU (Redoute’s Choice-Slice of Paradise), third in the MRC Arrowfield Stud Blue Diamond S. G1, is equal third highest 2YO colt with a rating of 111.

ALVERTA (Flying Spur-Grilse (USA)) is the season’s Leading Older Sprinter Mare with 115, achieved in the Newmarket July Cup G1 where she finished a splendid third, following her victory in the STC Coolmore Classic G1 in April. Alverta’s next assignment is the Prix Maurice de Gheest G1 at Deauville, which will be televised live on Sky Racing World at 11.40 pm (AEST) this Sunday evening, 8 August.

Arrowfield’s two new stallions for 2010, ALL AMERICAN (Red Ransom-Milva (USA)) and MANHATTAN RAIN (Encosta de Lago-Shantha’s Choice), also achieved impressive ratings, on the basis of their excellent performances in Melbourne last spring.

Manhattan Rain’s brave second placing in the MVRC W.S. Cox Plate G1 earned him a figure of 116, behind only that race’s winner So You Think in the 3YO Intermediate category. Manhattan Rain, a half-brother to Redoute’s Choice and winner of the AJC Sires’ Produce S. G1 at two, ended the 2009/10 season as Australia’s equal fourth highest rated 3YO colt.

All American’s figure of 112 was achieved in the VRC Emirates S. G1, where he defeated So You Think by 2.5 lengths in 1.33.98, the fastest time run by an entire in the history of the race.