Rich seam of success for Redoute’s Choice

It’s apt that the 86th stakes winner by champion sire Redoute’s Choice should be named Metallurgical – and part-owned by mining magnate Nathan Tinkler of Patinack Farm.

Thoroughbred horse breeding’s endless quest for quality has something in common with the search for mineral riches, buried deep in the earth’s vastness.  Just as there are miners who find those riches more often than others, so there are stallions whose success rate consistently exceeds the average by a significant margin.

In the case of Redoute’s Choice, his 11% stakes winners-to-runners strike-rate puts him in a class of his own.  And Metallurgical contributed to that record with a brave win in the LR Hinkler Hcp (1200m).  He is Redoute’s Choice’s 14th stakes winner world-wide this season, and the 8th bred on the Redoute’s Choice – Last Tycoon cross.

Metallurgical (5g Redoute’s Choice – Lady Capel by Last Tycoon) was bred by Gerry Harvey and offered under his Baramul Stud banner at the 2008 Gold Coast Magic Millions.  He was purchased by Patinack Farm for $2.20 million, the equal highest price of the sale.  He is a three-quarter brother to Group 1 winner Casino Prince (Flying Spur), currently Australia’s leading first-season sire.

Four sire sons of Redoute’s Choice made a good day even better with a Group 1 double at Randwick, and three new stakes winners.

The 2011 Australian Oaks (2400m) was won by the Redoute’s Choice filly Absolutely and this year’s Patinack Farm-sponsored renewal was dominated by Redoute’s Choice’s paternal grand-daughters Streama (Stratum) and Aliyana Tilde (Snitzel).

It was Streama’s second Group 1 victory, and the second Group 1 placing for Aliyana Tilde.  The runner-up was bred and sold by Arrowfield at the 2010 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale.

Earlier in the day at Randwick, Not A Single Doubt notched up his 9th stakes winner with promising filly Single Style.

And in Adelaide, Snitzel gained his 26th stakes performer when talented mare Sheila’s Star finished a very close second in the LR City of Adelaide Hcp (1400m).

The day’s final highlight belonged to God’s Own who became the 10th son of Redoute’s Choice to be credited with a stakes-winner.  He doubled up with Utah Saints at Caulfield and Balzeus at Morphettville.

Arrowfield will stand Redoute’s Choice for the 2012 season at a fee of $137,500 (inc gst).

METALLURGICAL