Hussonet’s Group 1 contribution to Australia continues
Champion Sire of Chile, a leading sire in Australia & now the sire of Husson (16 SW) and damsire of 23 Group 1 winners including Rothfire & Tyzone - Hussonet's remarkable career has hit every mark. (PHOTO: Bronwen Healy)
When Chile’s multiple Champion Sire Hussonet joined Danehill’s Champion sons Danzero, Flying Spur & Redoute’s Choice on the Arrowfield roster in 2003 he was considered a left-field option by many Australian breeders.
But it didn’t take long for the chestnut son of Mr. Prospector to stamp his patch, after leaving his all-time best performer and 2008 Australian Horse of the Year Weekend Hussler in his first crop and the Blue Diamond winner Reaan from his 2005 crop.
Subsequent Group 1 winners Eagle Falls (Oakleigh Plate), Glorious Days (Hong Kong Mile), Gold Trail (ARC Railway H.), Contentment (Champions Mile & Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup) and another 34 stakeswinners cemented his success in Australia.
When Hussonet died aged 25 in March 2016 at Cornerstone Stud, where he finished his stud career, he was justly described by TDN as “a leading international stallion of no fewer than 20 champions and 30 Grade/Group 1 winners on four different continents.”
His influence has continued to grow in the past four years and it is no surprise to see him appear as the damsire of both Group 1 winners at Eagle Farm last Saturday.
The J.J. Atkins winner Rothfire is by Fastnet Rock’s son Rothesay from Huss On Fire, an unraced mare from Hussonet’s third Australian crop; while the Stradbroke Handicap winner Tyzone is a son of Written Tycoon and Rezonet who, like Weekend Hussler, was foaled at Arrowfield in 2004.
The combination of Redoute’s Choice and his sons with Hussonet mares has proved especially successful, producing 13 stakeswinners (five bred by Arrowfield) from 83 runners including Champion South African 2YO Filly Majmu, dual Group 1 winner Extreme Choice, brilliant 2YO & 3YO Pariah and this season’s outstanding 2YO colt King’s Legacy.
In all, mares by Hussonet have now left 85 stakeswinners, 23 of them Group 1 winners.
Hussonet also appears close-up in the pedigree of this year’s top-priced Australian yearling, Arrowfield’s $1.9 million Deep Impact colt out Group 3 winner Honesty Prevails, a daughter of Redoute’s Choice and the Hussonet mare Flavoured.
Gresset, another Arrowfield-bred daughter of Hussonet, features as the dam of Bhima Thoroughbreds’ $1.1 million Redoute’s Choice colt at Magic Millions this year.
Now it’s the turn of The Autumn Sun and Showtime to benefit from Hussonet’s magic. Several of their first foals will be delivered this Spring by his daughters, among them Desert Fight & Angel Of Mercy (due to The Autumn Sun) and Phaedra & Line Honours (due to Showtime).
