Redoute’s Choice surges up Sires’ List
The brilliant return of dual Group 1 winner Melito (ex Cloister by Marauding) in Saturday’s $250,000 ATC Apollo S. 1400m G2 has helped her champion sire Redoute’s Choice to second position on the current Australian General Sires’ list, with prizemoney of $4,083,726.
Pictured: Melito defeats Hot Danish by 1.8 lengths in 1.22.28 in Saturday’s ATC Apollo S. G1. (PHOTO: Martin King/Sportpix)
Bred and raced by John Rippon, Melito was named 2010 NSW Horse of the Year after starting in no fewer than nine Group 1 races last season for two wins and five placings. Her Apollo Stakes win has encouraged her trainer Gerald Ryan to aim even higher in 2011.
The ATC Donacster Handicap 1600m G1 on 16 April, and June’s Royal Ascot Queen Anne Stakes are both on the radarfor the 4YO mare. As reported by Racing and Sports, Ryan says, “She is such a relaxed horse and is the sort of horse that would travel well.”
Melito has now won five and placed in eleven of her 21 starts for earnings of $1.7 million. Her previous wins include last season’s AJC T.J. Smith S. 1200m G1 and Qld Tatt’s RC Winter S. 1400m G1.
Her latest victory completed an outstanding Group-winning week for Redoute’s Choice whose tally of 2010/11 individual stakeswinners now stands at ten. He was represented last weekend by King’s Rose (Waikato RC Sir Tristram Fillies S. G2), and Sister Madly (ATC Southern Cross S. G3), as well as Bid Spotter (TRC Hobart Cup G3), the fixed odds favourite for Wednesday’s $225,000 TTC Launceston Cup G3.
Redoute’s Choice and Flying Spur have both enjoyed a tremendous month, with 27 wins apiece in the past 30 days. They are represented by seven & 12 yearlings respectively in the upcoming Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. Check out the Bellerive Stud draft here.