Corumbene raises the bar at Easter Sale

Corumbene Stud owner George Altomonte has been around long enough to experience all the highs and lows of racing.

This time last year, George was sky-high after homebred Overreach won the Gr.1 Golden Slipper in his familiar orange and brown spotted silks.  The Exceed And Excel filly has been sidelined with injuries this season but she will return for a spring campaign later this year.

“That’s racing,” Altomonte said with a shrug of the shoulders.  “I’ve been involved for 35 years and have had some good horses but to win a Golden Slipper with a filly you own and bred was a special highlight.”

Trainer Gai Waterhouse had Overreach all set to return for the Victorian autumn sprints earlier this year after blitzing a Randwick barrier trial in January.  “We took her down for the Newmarket Handicap but she strained a hamstring,” Altomonte said.  “It wasn’t a serious injury and we’re hoping she comes back as good as ever.”

Corumbene entered 9 yearlings for Easter, however, Lot 331 – the brother to Overreach – has been withdrawn.

“I’m always researching pedigrees and usually send our mares to proven stallions,” Altomonte said.  “You can’t afford to speculate too much because the bar keeps rising for Easter.”

Corumbene’s Session 1 yearlings reflects that code of practice with yearlings by Sebring, High Chaparral, Fastnet Rock, Not A Single Doubt and Redoute’s Choice,

Altomonte bred 2008 Golden Slipper winner Sebring and will offer his filly from Kylie as Lot 75.  “I also bred and raced the dam and she won twice for us at Randwick.  Her Easter filly should be an early goer.”

Following her will be the High Chaparral – La Boisselle colt (Lot 78).  He is from a stakes performed half-sister to Group 1 winners Assertive Lad and Assertive Lass who foaled Group 1 racehorse and sire Reset.

The Fastnet Rock – Cheetara filly (Lot 366) is just about the pick of an evenly-matched pack according to Altomonte.  “She’s a good one,” he declared.  “It’s a family full of stakes winning fillies.”

Cheetara was a $240,000 buy for Altomonte carrying the Fastnet Rock filly at the 2012 Inglis Easter Broodmare Sale.  It’s the same Fastnet Rock – More Than Ready cross as this season’s NZ 2000 Guineas winner Atlante.

Corumbene sold three Not A Single Doubt yearlings at the Gold Coast Magic Millions for $100,000 (2) and $90,000.  He has entered another colt by the Arrowfield stallion out of Donna’s Appeal (Lot 414) for the Easter Sale.

Donna’s Appeal is a daughter of the Altomonte-bred filly Donna Natalia who was Anabaa’s first Australian black-type winner in the 2000 AJC Gimcrack Stakes.

Corumbene also sells a Redoute’s Choice – Belong To Many filly (Lot 340) as agent.  The dam was stakes winner in three states up to Group 2 level in the 2008 Sapphire Stakes at Randwick.

Altomonte sold all 12 of his yearlings on the Gold Coast and he was delighted to see Newhaven Park’s Redoute’s Choice – Hades colt make $1 million to the bid of Gai Waterhouse acting on behalf of USA buyer Jon Kelly.

He sold Hades to Newhaven for $1.50 million at the 2007 Inglis Easter Sale and although her career peaked with a Class 1 victory at Gosford, she is paying her way at stud.

Hades is the first foal of Altomonte’s outstanding filly Hasna who ran third to Polar Success in the 2003 Golden Slipper before claiming the final two legs of the Sydney 2YO Triple Crown in the AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes and Champagne Stakes.

“Before Overreach came along, Hasna was the best horse I owned,” Altomonte explained.  “She doesn’t have a yearling for the sales this year but foaled a Redoute’s Choice colt in September.”

– Karl Patterson