Redoute’s Choice sets new Broodmare Sire mark
Honoured with the magnificent Tanya Bartlett statue that greets visitors to Arrowfield, Redoute's Choice continues to make a major contribution to Australian thoroughbred breeding & racing, four years after his death. (PHOTO: Bronwen Healy)
More than four years after his death, Arrowfield and Australian legend Redoute’s Choice is enjoying a vintage month as both sire and broodmare sire – and a brilliant year as a sire of sires.
First Petronius (BRC Lightning H. LR) then, from his final crop, Rediener (BRC Gunsynd Classic G3) took his career total of stakeswinners as a sire to 182 – an exceptional 11.7% of his worldwide runners, and 9.4% of all his named foals.
Then, sometime last week, the three-time Champion Sire set a new mark on the Australian Broodmare Sires’ Premiership. He is the first stallion to crack $30 million season earnings in that role, breaking the record set by Encosta de Lago in 2021.
The old rivals have dominated the damsires’ table since 2016 when Encosta de Lago won the first of three straight titles. Redoute’s Choice appeared for the first time as runner-up in 2018 and the pair has filled the top two spots since then.
Redoute’s Choice claimed his first title in 2019, four months after he died, with what was then a record total of $23.2 million. He promptly broke that mark in 2020, winning his second title with $27.4 million, before Encosta de Lago secured his fourth crown in 2021 with $29.9 million.
Holding a current lead of $254,000, Redoute’s Choice is on track to level up with his own fourth title. His season earnings are anchored by Godolphin’s glorious colt Anamoe (ex Group 1 winner Anamato) whose $6.4 million prizemoney is almost twice that of Encosta de Lago’s major earner Alligator Blood.
Daughters of Redoute’s Choice have produced a further 11 Australian stakeswinners including Group 1 winner (and Royal Ascot contender) Artorius and last weekend’s Dane Ripper S. G2 winner Comrade Rosa, plus Bank Maur and 2YOs Azula & Namesake (all by Maurice).
Group 1 winner Al Muthana & Listed winner Saartjie (in South Africa), 2YO stakeswinner Solidify (in New Zealand) & 31 other stakes performers have contributed the lion’s share of the $34.7 million prizemoney compiled worldwide in 2022/23 by the progeny of Redoute’s Choice’s daughters.
His sire sons and grandsons have not been idle either. Nineteen of them, including Champion Sire Snitzel (18 SW in 2022/23, headed by Golden Slipper winner Shinzo), and young sires The Autumn Sun, Showtime, Russian Revolution, Invader & the New Zealand-based Ardrossan, have left Australasian stakeswinners this season.
And in South Africa Rafeef (Redoute’s Choice-National Colour) continues to build an impressive record, with 12 stakeswinners (3 Group 1) from his 144 runners to date.
Truly, greatness never ends.
