International stakes double for Redoute’s Choice

Redoute’s Choice posted his first Group race double of the season on Saturday, thanks to his splendid daughter Vavasour in New Zealand, and his son Fluky in Japan. 

Vavasour added the $100,000 Waikato Cup 2400m G3 to her Counties Cup G3 success three weeks ago and did it with the sustained pace and grit she has displayed throughout her 15-start, five-win, $252,000 career.  Her 1.5 length defeat of The Tidy Express & Decorah was all the more impressive because she carried 59 kg – 6kg more than she carried in the Counties Cup.

Watch Vavasour’s Waikato Cup G3 win.

Bred by Garry Cranny, Cathy Franich and Haunui Farm, Vavasour is the second foal of the Group-winning filly Valpolicella (by Red Ransom), also the dam of dual Group winner Vilanova.

Vavasour was purchased for $425,000 from the New Zealand Premier Sale by Ger Beemsterboer and Sarah Green whose joint racing interests are conducted under the name of Barneswood Farm. The 4YO mare is trained by Peter & Dawn Williams who indicated that, while she will continue racing in New Zealand for a while, a trip to Australia is on the horizon.

On the same day in Japan, 5YO gelding Fluky became the 80th individual Group winner for Redoute’s Choice when he landed the ~$A1 million Hanshin Challenge Cup 1800m G3. Fluky was third in last year’s running of the race, won by Tosen Stardom who subsequently chased Contributer home in the ATC Ranvet S. G1.

It was Fluky’s 7th win, and second black type success this year from 17 starts for leading Japanese owner Makoto Kaneko, whose colours were also carried by champion racehorse & sire Deep Impact, King Kamehameha & Kurofune.

Watch Fluky’s Hanshin Challenge Cup G3 win. (He is No. 11.)

Fluky is the best of four winners out of Sunday Smile (by Sunday Silence from European Group winner Sensation), a $75,000 buy for Northern Farm at the 2009 Inglis Easter Broodmare Sale. She was immediately served northern time by Redoute’s Choice and sent five months later to Japan where she delivered Fluky in March 2010.

With eight stakeswinners of 11 Group & Listed Races since 1 August, Redoute’s Choice continues to give buyers plenty of reasons to bid up on his yearlings. He has 21 lots on offer at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale, and the New Zealand Premier Sale catalogue includes a filly and two colts by the champion sire.