Elusive Quality won’t return to Australia despite reviving his reputation in the southern hemisphere this year.  

The former Darley shuttler sired the first winner from his final Australian crop when Real Stolle won the G3 VRC Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington on Saturday.

Real Stolle (2f Elusive Quality – Lemon Ruski by Desert King) charged to line to score a convincing victory over Andre Roo Hoo (Written Tycoon) and Magnus Reign (by Magnus) clocking 57.71s for 1000m down the straight.

The Patinack filly was an $18,000 purchase as a foal out of the Edinglassie draft at the 2010 Inglis Easter weanling sale.  Patinack also bought her dam Lemon Ruski for $17,000 carrying a colt by Darley sire Teofilo at the 2010 Inglis Easter broodmare sale.

Lemon Ruski is a half-sister to the Mick Price trained iron-horse Chattanooga (Scenic) and the dam of Flemington stakes winner Tindal (Testa Rossa).

Elusive Quality shuttled to the Hunter Valley for six seasons but didn’t return after leaving our shores in December 2008.

There were 7 two year-old winners in his first crop headed by 2007 AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Camarilla.  

There were only 3 juvenile winners the following season – reason enough to see the last of him later that year.  His third crop of youngsters numbered just 4 winners and his fourth crop was only marginally better with 5 winners.

The tide turned with champion colt Sepoy headlining his fifth and penultimate crop.  He was joined by G2 Singapore Golden Horseshoe winner Mr Big and Geelong Classic winner Induna who was the best thing beaten in a Victoria Derby since Sobar in 1972.

Darley didn’t blink when Elusive Quality stayed at its Kentucky base after 2008.  He stands there for a $50,000 service fee after siring multi-millionaires Raven’s Pass, Smarty Jones and Quality Road.

There’s another reason why Elusive Quality won’t shuttle to Australia again.  Darley will have the sireline all stitched up when Sepoy retires to stud in 2012.