Redoute’s Choice’s late-career stars shine brightly

Already a stakeswinner, Alabama Express sprints clear of his rivals at Flemington on 18 January. (PHOTO: Darryl Sherer)

Sometimes champion stallions end their stud careers with a whimper, and sometimes they end them with a bang, or at least a series of stars as bright as any from their earlier crops.  

It’s already clear that Redoute’s Choice, who died last March, is in the second category, leaving his best colt The Autumn Sun in his 15th crop, and his latest Group 1 Classic winner Loire in his 16th.

And the multiple Champion Sire’s exceptional record is still far from complete if 2YO Group winner King’s Legacy and last week’s debut Sydney winner Prague, both from his 17th crop,  are anything to by. 

Now a stunning 3YO colt, very reminiscent of Redoute’s Choice, has auditioned for the role of his next Group 1 winner. 

His name is Alabama Express and he opened his summer campaign with a dynamic victory over 1100m at Flemington last Saturday, powering over the final 600 metres in 33.22 to score by two lengths.  

Bred by GSA Bloodstock from Lago Ovation (by Encosta de Lago), Alabama Express was a $280,000 purchase by Paul Moroney from Arrowfield’s 2018 Inglis Easter draft.

Arrowfield joined Ballymore Stables, Rupert & Cheryl Legh, B & C Thoroughbreds, Lou Petagna & David Morison in the ownership of the  colt who won the MRC Gothic S. LR at his third start last October.  

Alabama Express as a yearling at Arrowfield. He is the fourth & final foal of his dam Lago Ovation. (PHOTO: Georgie Lomax)

Trainer Michael Moroney is not hesitant to aim high with Alabama Express who will head to the Group 1 weight-for-age race won by Redoute’s Choice at his penultimate start 20 years ago.

“The CF Orr Stakes is a race three-year-olds can win. So that’s what we would like to do. Chase a Group 1, he has real stallion potential, a gorgeous horse by the right stallion and he is starting to get the right record.”

Sire sons, of course, are another Redoute’s Choice specialty and right on cue, his Arrowfield-bred son Master Of Design sired his first stakeswinner, and first Group 1 winner last Saturday. That’s The Mitigator, winner of the WRC Thorndon Mile G1 at Trentham, New Zealand. 

Master Of Design is the 27th stakes-siring son of Redoute’s Choice, and takes his tally of Group 1-siring sons to eleven.  

The second-last crop of Redoute’s Choice yearlings are selling this year and he’s already posted a 7-figure sale: the $1.1 million GSA Bloodstock-bred colt out of Gresset sold by Bhima Thoroughbreds to Zhiqiang An at Magic Millions Gold Coast.

Latest news

Vandeek’s half-brother wins G2 Royal Ascot Coventry Stakes Vandeek’s half-brother wins G2 Royal Ascot Coventry Stakes

The most prestigious of the six 2YO races at Royal Ascot 2025 has produced a most impressive victory by Gstaad, half-brother of Arrowfield's new sire Vandeek...

READ MORE

Arrowfield mourns Champion Sire Snitzel Arrowfield mourns Champion Sire Snitzel

Multiple Champion Sire Snitzel died this morning at Arrowfield Stud, near the end of one of the finest seasons of his spectacular, record-setting career...

READ MORE

Maurice: 8 Fast Facts Maurice: 8 Fast Facts

A proven Group 1 sire whose rapid rise in Australia was interrupted by the pandemic, so no 3YOs this season. But since his return to Arrowfield....

READ MORE