It is with great excitement and anticipation that Blue Gum Farm announces the relocation of Encosta De Lago's impeccably credentialed son Manhattan Rain to Victoria.

As a racehorse Manhattan Rain was a Group One winning 2YO of the AJC Sires Produce Stakes. As a 3YO he ran a slashing second to So You Think in a memorable Group One WS Cox Plate. He also placed in both the Golden Slipper Stakes and Champagne Stakes at two and the Caulfield Guineas at three.  Manhattan Rain retired to stud the winner of $1,311,200 in stakes. He is Encosta De Lago's leading entire prize money earner. 

Manhattan Rain has a pedigree second to none. He is by twice Champion Australian Sire Encosta De Lago who sired 15 of his 26 individual Group One winners from his original base here at Blue Gum Farm. Manhattan Rain is a half-brother to three time Champion Australian Sire Redoute's Choice and closely related to another grand old Blue Gum Farm stallion in Umatilla (NZ) who sired six individual Group One winners and the winners of over $38,000,000 in stakes from his Victorian base. Other close relations include Al Maher and Hurricane Sky who have both sired Group One winners at stud. There are big stallion pedigrees and then there is this stallion pedigree. They just don't come any bigger!

But the best thing about Manhattan Rain is the job he is already doing himself as a stallion. With his oldest progeny now just 5YO’s he has already sired numerous individual Group and/or Stakes winners including this seasons flying two year old, and leading Golden Slipper contender, SHE WILL REIGN, last season's Group Two winning 2YO SCARLET RAIN, who was ultra-impressive winning first up as a 3YO at Rosehill last Saturday defeating the older horses, and 4YO WHISKY BARON who last weekend became his sire's first Group One winner when taking out South Africa's most prestigious race, the  Kenilworth Sun Met. Manhattan Rain has already sired the winners of over $7,500,000 in stakes and that figure is growing rapidly.

"We put forward a proposal to stand Manhattan Rain when he retired from the racetrack" said Blue Gum Farm's Philip Campbell recently. "We rated him highly then and we rate him even more highly now. I believe that he is a fantastic fit for the Victorian Breeding industry now as there is simply no guess work involved,” continued Campbell. “He is already a proven and consistent source of quality group performers and his yearlings continue to be in high demand with a top price of $360,000 already attained at Australia’s first yearling sale this year.”

“It's funny how things work out but this really does feel right for us,” enthused Campbell. “We feel that the Encosta De Lago legacy, that started here so successfully with the amazing support of Victorian breeders, is ‘coming home’ so to speak through his best son at stud. It just seems like a wonderful fit."

Manhattan Rain’s 2017 service fee has been set at a very reasonable $16,500.