Royalzel thrills owner with Flemington stakes win
Royalzel powers clear of his rivals to become Arrowfield's 14th graduate stakeswinner in 2020/21. (PHOTO: Bronwen Healy)
Owner Malcolm Russell was still buzzing more than 24 hours after Royalzel’s dominant victory in Saturday’s $160,000 VRC Taj Rossi Series Final 1600m LR.
“He’s a nice little colt, and that was a fantastic win, especially at that distance.”
The Arrowfield-bred son of Snitzel and Group 3 juvenile winner Royal Tithe (by Show A Heart) could not have been more impressive as he became his champion sire’s 110th lifetime stakeswinner, 43rd stakes-winning 2YO and 14th stakeswinner this season.
Way too easy for Royalzel, great win. 😍 pic.twitter.com/YcMTTNONqg
— Racing.com (@Racing) July 3, 2021
Catalogued for the 2020 Inglis Easter Sale and subsequently offered for private sale by Arrowfield, Royalzel immediately took Malcolm’s eye when he inspected him at the Stud.
“He jumped out at me, he was a really, really nice colt, not big but all in proportion.”
Sent to Gary Portelli, Royalzel has won three of his first five starts and now heads to the paddock for a short break. Malcolm hopes he will be seen in major 3YO races during the Spring, with the Caulfield Guineas G1 an obvious target.
In fact, he hopes he might have two runners in that race, if his other 2YO colt Maurice’s Choice fulfils the promise he’s shown in three starts for the Portelli stable. As his name implies, he’s by Maurice from the Redoute’s Choice mare Cleo’s Raine. Malcolm says, “I love him, and I’m expecting him to do really well in the Spring.”
Malcolm, a former hotelier, established Royal Stone Stud in 2019 on 417 acres near Rylstone in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales. The Stud is now home to a stallion, Our Royal Egyptian, and ten well-bred mares, two of them in foal to Castelvecchio and Shalaa.
Royal Stone’s nine weanlings include “an absolute pearler” filly by Maurice from Just Remember This (by I Am Invincible) that Malcolm plans to sell next year.
At Arrowfield, Royal Tithe has not missed a beat since producing Royalzel. Her rising 2YO filly by Snitzel has been retained by the Stud, she has a weanling colt by The Autumn Sun and is due to foal again to The Autumn Sun this coming Spring.
