InglisDigitalAUS
InglisDigitalUSA
Share on Facebook
The star studded Royal Ascot meeting takes place this week and while we have no Aussie bred stars to cheer for this year it does raise the question of where are our past heroes?.
The first Aussie to blaze the trail to Royal Ascot was the powerhouse Paul Perry trained colt Choisir, who showed the Poms a new breed of speed in 2003, the like of which they’d never seen.
.jpg)
He won not only the King’s Stand Stakes, then Group II, but also the Group I Golden Jubilee Stakes on the last day of the carnival, a feat that is yet to be replicated.
Retired to Coolmore, Choisir has been a success at stud in both hemispheres and despite losing an eye a couple of years ago is fit and well as a rising 15 year-old about to embark on another season at stud at a fee of $29,700.
2006 was the fairytale year of Joe Janiak and his globe-trotting bargain priced superstar Takeover Target.
Bought for $1250 from an Inglis Mixed Sale as an unraced horse with talent, but problems, Takeover Target became the world’s best sprinter winning 21 races and over $6million in prizemoney.
.jpg)
Retired to stud in 2008 by her owner Sean Buckley, Miss Andretti was sent to Exceed and Excel in her first year at stud, ironically the same choice that was made for Black Caviar.
.jpg)
The now nine year-old gelding continued racing in several countries including the US, but never won again, his best subsequent result coming when second to Sea Siren in the 2012 Group I BTC Cup.
.jpg)
He now has his own Facebook pageand is enjoying retirement as the pin-up boy for Off the Track WA, which is a non-profit organization supporting the transition of racehorses to secondary careers.
2010, was when we saw ‘Choisir take two’ at Royal Ascot, his brilliant son Starspangledbanner capturing the Diamond Jubilee Stakes for champion Irish trainer Aiden O’Brien.
.jpg)
He added the Group I July Cup to his resume as well for good measure, but his much anticipated dual hemisphere stud career crashed on the rocks when fertility issues ended any hopes of commercial viability.
His first European two year-olds have hit the ground running with four winners from six runners including The Wow Signal, who won on debut by nine lengths and was subsequently purchased by Al Shaqab Racing.
The Wow Signal will line up in the Group II Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday night with Frankie Dettori to ride.
All of his other winners are also entered for Royal Ascot.
Moonraker is entered for the Group II Norfolk Stakes on the fourth day of the carnival, Anthem Alexandra is entered for the Group II Queen Mary Stakes on the second day and Effusive is in the Group III Albany Stakes, also on the fourth day.
Their performance will be a highlight for Australian fans!
Black Caviar scored that thrilling last stride win over another star mare Moonlight Cloud to win the Diamond Jubilee Stakes in 2012 and will produce her first foal later this spring after being covered by Exceed and Excel.
.jpg)
Let’s hope it’s the first of many and she doesn’t suffer the ill fortune of her predecessor in the champion female sprinter stakes in Miss Andretti.
Amongst all of our sprinting heroes there was also Haradasun, who beat the best milers to win the Group I Queen Anne Stakes in 2008 for Aidan O’Brien after being purchased by Coolmore.
.jpg)
