Interstate Double for Redoute’s Choice
Arrowfield Stud’s super stallion Redoute’s Choice is invariably in the thick of the action when the big races come around and nothing was different on Saturday when the promising Drumbeats dented a few big reputations in the Group 2 Shannon Stakes at Rosehill while the warhorse Red Lord heralded his Caulfield Cup aspirations in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes at Caulfield.
Winner of the Listed Hilton International Stakes (1400m) at Flemington last spring, Drumbeats had been off the scene for 10 months when he made a promising return when second at Randwick a fortnight back.
Sent straight to the front by Kerrin McEvoy, the Peter Snowden-trained 4yo entire held the challenge of the in-form Rangirangdoo to eek out a short-half-head win with Strat’s Flyer 2 ¾-lengths back in third place.
“He will definitely go to the Epsom now, it’s full steam ahead,” Snowden said.
A $350,000 yearling sale purchase, Drumbeats was part of a $15.2 million splurge by Woodlands Stud at the 2007 Australian Easter Yearling sale.
He is the second live foal of the Last Tycoon mare Delicate Choice who’s best performance in an undistinguished racetrack career was second in a maiden at Newcastle.
She is however a daughter of the top-class racemare Arborea (Imperial Price), whose 8 wins included the VRC Oaks (G1) VATC 1000 Guineas (G1), VRC Wakeful Stakes (G2) and STC Phar Lap Stakes (G2).
Arborea’s first foal was the Marscay gelding Delta Form, a top-class performer in South Africa who became a Grade 2 winner in America in addition to placing in the Hollywood Turf Cup (G1) and Belmont Turf Classic Invitational (G1).
Sent to America in 1999, Arborea was repatriated in 2006. Delicate Choice has an unnamed 3yo colt by Choisir and a yearling filly foal by Testa Rossa. She was covered by both More Than Ready and Testa Rossa last year but failed to conceive.
The Anthony Cummings trained Red Lord assured himself of a start in the $2.5 million Caulfield Cup by winning the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes.
It was the third stakes success for the 6yo gelding and the first graded stakes triumph.
Red Lord moves his overall record to 7 wins, 3 seconds and 1 third from 49 starts for earnings of $574,715.
A $260,000 purchase by Cummings at the 2005 Magic Millions Sale on the Gold Coast from the consignment of John Singleton’s Strawberry Hill Stud, Red Lord is the first foal of the stakes-winning Zabeel mare, Dame Cath.
A year previously Strawberry Hill had consigned Dame Cath to the Magic Millions National Broodmare sale, where she was purchased by Vin Cox Bloodstock, on behalf of Corumbene Stud, for $110,000.
The third dam of Dame Cath, Court Duchess (Final Court), is half-sister to the great champion Balmerino as well as Fulmen, Gay Filou, Fileur and the stakes-placedMicheline who would find fame as the dam of Surround, Purple Patch, Lord Hybrow and Sovereign Parade.
Source: Mark Smith, Breednet
