New stakeswinner for Beneteau

New stakeswinner for Beneteau

Redoute’s Choice’s son Beneteau notched up his 10th stakeswinner when Sparta easily won Saturday’s Macau Sprint Trophy 1200m MAC-3.

The 4YO gelding, winner of four of his previous eight starts in Macau, romped home by more than three lengths from the New Zealand-bred River Bobo in 1:08 flat.

Watch Sparta win the Macau Sprint Trophy Mac-3.

Sparta was bred by Tony Pistikakis from the Commands mare Helena Girl and initially raced by him in Australia, in partnership with Lam King Poy & K.M. Ng, who now race him in Macau.

Sparta, described after foaling at Arrowfield in October 2012 as a “lovely, big, strong maiden foal”, was trained for two Spring 3YO starts in Australia by Hawkes Racing, which subsequently signed for his younger half-brothers by Animal Kingdom at the 2016 and 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sales.

Helena Girl has a filly foal by Smart Missile and is in foal to Dundeel.

With ten stakeswinners, including Group 1 winner Lasqueti Spirit, and 11 other stakes performers from 131 named foals, Beneteau was clearly headed for major sire success before his death in January 2013. He has no juveniles representing him this season, yet still holds third, behind Hinchinbrook & Star Witness, on the Australian Third Season Sires’ table, with 25 winners and $1.8 million prizemoney.