Arrowfield champion Redoute’s Choice sired the latest winner, and arguably the best bred, among his current crop of three year-olds at Canterbury on Wednesday.
Barbados became the 25th Australian based 3YO winner for Redoute’s Choice this season with an on-pace victory in the Styletread Maiden Plate (1100m).
“He’s still learning,” jockey Kerrin McEvoy said. “He set a nice tempo in front and kept going right to the line.”
Barbados (3c Redoute’s Choice – Virage De Fortune by Anabaa) is raced by Sheikh Mohammed and is the first foal of a Group 1 winning mare trained by the late Bruce McLachlan.
Virage De Fortune won 8 races including the MVRC William Reid Stakes and QTC Sires’ Produce Stakes and was later sold for a record $3.40 million as a broodmare prospect.
Following Barbados, she has a 2yo filly named Wraith (Exceed and Excel) and a yearling colt by Street Cry.
Virage De Fortune is a sister to Limerick Lane mare Avenue. She has won G3 events at Moonee Valley (2), Caulfield and Morphettville and was also runner-up to Eagle Falls in the G1 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield earlier this year.
Their dam Virage is a daughter of Kenmare who pioneered the shuttle era when he flew from France to Arrowfield in 1988. He sired Virage from champion mare Emancipation.
Redoute’s Choice (25 winners) holds a commanding lead in that category at the top of the Australian 3YO sires’ premiership. Next best are Stratum (19) and Elusive Quality (18).