July 6th, 2008

Three-time scorer Saxford was Reset's first European winner and is now his first stakes winner in the northern hemisphere after a two-length victory at Newbury during the week.

Saxford was the first out of the gates for Reset’s northern hemisphere debutants when he started his racing career in the Brocklesby Stakes on the first weekend of the flat turf season in Britain. The progressive gelding is clearly thriving on his racing and now has three wins to his credit culminating in a Listed victory in the Rose Bowl Stakes at Newbury last Thursday.

Bred by Dubaian businessman Malih Al Basti, whose colours were borne to victory by top-class filly Nasheej in three Group races, Saxford is out of the winning Makbul mare Bint Makbul. He won on his second start in April and recently posted an impressive seven-length victory at Newcastle before successfully stepping up to Stakes company.

Saxford, who may now be heading for the G2 Gimcrack Stakes at York, is the third Stakes winner worldwide for Reset, who is the sire of G3 winner Rebel Raider and Listed scorer Likefatherlikeson. 

Reset (ex Assertive Lass by Zeditave) stands at Darley's Victorian base at Seymour at a service fee of $33,000 this spring. 

The progeny of this young son of Zabeel have been held back by many wise trainers in Australia and in the coming months Reset's progeny will start to come under notice with the likes of Hoddle (ex Marple by Diesis) being prepared for the Group I Caulfield Guineas it could be a fee that will look very reasonable by this time next year.

June 4th, 2008

Darley’s exciting first season sire Reset (Zabeel - Assertive Lass by Zeditave) chalked up winner number four on Tuesday when Hoddle came from near last to round up his rivals and win by a widening four length margin.

On debut Hoddle raced greenly for the first half of the 1100m maiden, under Steve Arnold. Arnold, got the bay onto his correct leg and gave him plenty of room as they swung for home as he raced up alongside another debutant , La Choisie (Choisir - La Famosa by Quest For Fame), they drew away from the rest of the pack with Hoddle proving too strong for the filly.

Trained at Flemington by John Sadler for Mr and Mrs Lloyd Williams and their son Nick, he gave them an immediate return as Nick had purchased him at the 2007 Magic Millions yearling sale for $170,000 from the draft of Darley. 

Hoddle is the fourth foal of the Diesis mare Marple, a half-sister to French Group Three winner Slew the Red. Marple descends from a family that's produced Lady's Secret (by Secretariat), winner of 22 races including six group one events and Believe (by Sunday Silence), the winner of seven races including two group one events in Japan.

Hoddle joins Reset's two Australian stakes-winners Rebel Raider and Likefatherlikeson and the way he won his maiden it won't be long before his name appears in black type. The other winner by Reset is in the Northern hemisphere, Saxford (ex Bint Makbul by Makbul).

Reset returns to Darley's Victorian base again this spring with his fee remaining at $33,000 (inc gst).

April 13th, 2008

Rebel Raider was an impressive winner of Group 3 Darley Sires' Produce Stakes, giving Rest, a son of Zabeel, his first stakes winner in Australia.

Rebel Raider had looked very good winning at Cheltenham at his first run back from a break, March 26th, and under the care of Leon MacDonald the colt derived plenty of benefit from that run.  Jumping away best in the 11-strong field he was sent straight to the front by Chad Lever.

Showing plenty of pace Rebel Raider easily took up the running and he rounded the home turn first.  Once straightened up he was hard pressed by Offsider (Exceed And Excel) in the straight and showing plenty of fight Rebel Raider fought hard to take the Group 3 (1600m) contest by a long neck.  Wookah (Encosta de Lago - High Heels by Canny Lad) was two lengths away in third.

Rebel Raider, was purchased by MacDonald at last year’s Magic Millions Yearling Sale for $150,000, he is the first foal from the G1-placed Dehere mare Picholine. 

Reset has six yearlings on offer at the forthcoming Inglis select sale (April 20 - 24) and five in the classic session (April 27-29).

March 28th, 2008

Darley’s unbeaten multiple G1 winner Reset sired his first winner on Wednesday, March 26, when Rebel Raider obliged at the second time of asking to take the 1400m Handicap at Cheltenham.

Settled behind early pacesetter Emgee, Leon Macdonald’s charge made his move approaching the turn and pulled clear to win by a length, with Dubai Dawn and Easter Manners (both by fellow Darley stallion E Dubai) taking second and third place respectively.

Rebel Raider, who was purchased by his trainer at last year’s Magic Millions Yearling Sale for $150,000, is the first foal from the G1-placed Dehere mare Picholine. She has a yearling colt by Shamardal and a 2007 filly by Exceed And Excel.

March 18th, 2007

STALLIONS concludes its series of profiles on horses whose progeny have been for sale for the first time at public auction this year.

Amongst them is Reset.

Breeders have shown their appreciation of the unbeaten Reset’s talent on the track by rushing to book their mares to him at his first season at stud. Reset had, after all, beaten his elders in the Group I Futurity Stakes at his final appearance, and they would also have been mindful that his dam and damsire were winners at the elite level in Australia.

Reset, was selected as a yearling by Melbourne based businessman Lloyd Williams and purchased out of the Australian Easter yearling sale by him for $190,000. When he stepped out at Caulfield on Boxing Day 2003, he picked up his first cheque for Williams by winning over 1400m by two lengths from the well regarded Dane Fever with Reef Beach third.

Reset greeted the new year with another easy win on January 12, scoring over the same track and distance by three-and-a-quarter lengths disposing of Country Lodge and Kendalay in a field of 16.

The acid test for the son of Zabeel came the following month when he faced the best of his age in the Group I Australian Guineas at Flemington. It was a very hot day and Reset and Elvstroem became agitated in the adjoining stalls, both were backed out and inspected by the vet and Reset, who had hit his head, required some dental work before being allowed to take his place in the days’ feature.

Ridden by his regular jockey Dan Nikolic, Reset settled in fourth position behind Bushido and Dane Fever but at the half-way point Elvstroem and Starcraft made their moves, followed by Delzao and Reset. Starcraft shook off Elvstroem at the 400m and then Reset pounced out wide. The final 200m was a stirring battle for supremacy with Reset showing a ton of guts to fight off the subsequent Group I AJC Derby winner Starcraft by a long neck. 

That win set up the chance for Reset to tackle the older horses, and this came at Caulfield two weeks later when the colt lined up in the weight-for-age Group I Futurity Stakes (1400m). Although the race had only attracted five runners, three were previous group one victors and the others had won at group two level.

Despite being the baby of the filed and coming back in distance, Nikolic had no qualms in taking Reset straight to the front with Yell at his girth from Thorn Park and Vocabulary. Controlling the tempo, Nikolic allowed Reset to quicken with 600m to run and he asked for this best with 400m to go, running a sub-11 second section between the 400m and 200m. While Vocabulary chased hard, Reset had a length to spare at the post with Yell a further length-and-a-quarter away in third.

In five starts Reset had won more than $850,000 and he was soon the subject of a multi-million dollar bid from Darley and he was sold subject to his immediate retirement. 

Reset has since stood in both hemispheres and he may well be the stallion to revive Sir Ivor’s sireline in Britain and Europe.

Reset’s dam Assertive Lass, was a top class three year-old, who won the Group I NSW Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (Coolmore Classic) and dead-heated for first in the Flight Stakes along with victories in the Group 2 Light Fingers and Tea Rose Stakes. As a broodmare she has foaled a stakes winning brother to Reset, the Group 3 winning So Assertive. The stakes placed Assertive Choice (by Redoute’s Choice) and the winning Coconut Grove (by King Cugat). 

Assertive Lass is out of Sommes Sound (Assert – Fast Approach by First Landing) a minor winner in America and a half-sister to the high class First Approach (by Northern Fling) whose 14 wins include the Group I Flower Bowl Handicap. Sommes Sound is one of nine winners from a family that has produced four outstanding fillies including two winners of the Group I English 1000 Guineas, Pouparler (Hugh Lupus) and Fleet (Immortality) as well as the Cheveley Park, National and Coronation Group I winning Display (Rustam) and the Group I Prix de la Foret victor Democratie (Immortality).

Sommes Sound produced two topliners to covers by Zeditave, Assertive Lass and Assertive Lad. 

Zeditave, also hails from a high class family as his grandam Sweet Life has the English Oaks and 1000 Guineas winner Galatea II as her third dam and traces to Chelandry an ancestor to two major Australian sires Heroic and Magpie. This branch of the family also includes Derby winner Never Say Die.

Reset is by a champion sire Zabeel who as a racehorse won seven races including the Group I Australian Guineas. Since his retirement to stud Zabeel has been champion sire of Australia (twice) and multiple times in New Zealand he has 104 stakes winners to his credit with 34 of them winning at the elite level with earnings of more than $112million.

Reset looks well placed to continue the high standard set by these successful sires and he has 14 yearlings catalogued for sale at the Australian Easter yearling sale at Newmarket from April 10th until the 12th.

January 15th, 2007

With the select portion of the 2007 Magic Millions Yearling Sale winding up on Sunday, Darley's young stallion Reset, was greeted in the market place with open arms as buyers paid breeders' very well for his stock.

Reset averaged almost five times his 2004 covering fee of $30,000 (excluding GST) and leading the way for the young son of Zabeel was Lot 12, a bay filly from Hilliard (by Danehill).  Bought by Ian MacDonald for $140,000, she is from the family of the stakes winning Rullene (by Rory's Jester), 10 wins including two black type events to her credit and Brackenbury (by Danehill).  The filly will be trained by Brian Mayfield-Smith in Melbourne.

Later in the day lot 119, a bay filly from Mary Machree was knocked down to McLachlan Place Racing Stables for $180,000, she is from the family of multiple Stakes winner Don Bellotto.  One lot earlier, 118, a colt presented by Darley out of the Diesis mare, Marple, who is herself a half-sister to dual Group winner Slew The Red and from the family of USA Horse of the Year, Lady’s Secret, the colt was bought by Nick Williams for $170,000.

Over the first four sessions Reset has posted a healthy average of $130,900 for 16 sold.

September 19th, 2005

The recently retired classy mare, Mango Daiquiri has a date with Zabeel’s Group One winning son Reset. 

Early in 2003 Morgan Betts, son of Independent Stallions accountant Alan Betts, travelled to New Zealand for an educational trip to the yearling sales. Whilst at Karaka he heard of a nicely bred filly who was not expected to fetch much – a well related daughter of Cape Cross who had bad legs.

And so he rang his father who in turn spoke to stud manager Mike Becker and they decided that if the filly happened to go for a silly price – say for under $10,000 – they would buy her for her broodmare potential. $8,000 later and the bay was theirs and after undergoing her early education in New Zealand she arrived in Victoria.

“She had a lot of strength and good bone but she was quite awful in front!” recalled Mike Becker’s son Mathew who was to race the filly with an enthusiastic group of friends.

With nobody expecting that “she could ever stand up to racing” the filly was named Mango Daiquiri and from day one Mornington based trainer Pat Carey – a long time family friend – was “very impressed.”

Given one start during her debut preparation, Mango Daiquiri finished an encouraging third at Cranbourne. Third up next time in and she broke her maiden in good style at Sale and from there she progressed into outstanding spring form.

A campaign leading into the Group One VRC Oaks was planned although her owners never really dared hope she would be at Flemington in November – “you aim for a race like that but you never really think you will get there,” Mathew said.

However, Mango Daiquiri was in great form in the spring, winning at Sandown in September and on Caulfield Cup day over 2000m. From thereon Mathew was “a nervous wreck.”

A game third in Hollow Bullet’s Group 2 Wakeful Stakes at Flemington on Derby Day, Mango Daiquiri took her place in the VRC Oaks and at 5-1 was considered one of the main chances.  And Oaks Day was one Mathew will never forget – “it was one of the most nerve wracking days of my life,” he recalled, “and by the end of it I was exhausted!”

Making the pace in the time honoured classic, Mango Daiquiri was still in front only metres from the line – run down over the final stages by Hollow Bullet and finishing a gusty fourth beaten less than a length.  

“When she went over the line I just sat down and thought ‘I am glad that is over!’” said Mathew – “she ran a great race and we were just so appreciative of what she had done, she was such a trier.”

Back “better than ever” in the autumn, Mango Daiquiri was close up in three runs, including a fourth in Ballet Society’s Group 2 Kewney Stakes,  before a victory over 1600m at Moonee Valley in early April.  Delighted with that form, Mathew and his friends were looking forward to a crack at the Adelaide carnival but at her final gallop before her trip to South Australia Mango Daiquiri broke down.

“I had always expected that phone call,” said Mathew, “but we were devastated.”

Mango Daiquiri (ex Audencia by Arazi) retires to stud with an 18-start record, four wins, two seconds and one third with more than $190,000 in the bank for her happy connections.