Category Archives: Strada

Strada relocates to Riverdene Stud

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The recruitment of impeccably-bred sire Shinzig (Danehill- Shinzig, by Straight Strike) has heralded Riverdene Stud’s return to standing stallions in the 2012 breeding season.

The Wagga Wagga operation stood the likes of Marwina (Marscay – Orwhina, by Vain) and Zariz (Mukaddamah – Divine Dash, by Tolomeo) before deciding to become a specialist broodmare facility in 2010.

Strada started his career at Widden Stud before Riverdene Stud principal Dr Kevin Pendergast decided to stand the son of Danehill this season.

“Strada is a very attractive new alternative for Riverdene Stud’s existing client base; we should be able to give him a very solid book,” Pendergast said in a statement.

“The property has a lot of boarding mares owned by keen breeders in the region that won’t have previously considered Strada due to the distances involved.

“They should see the chance to go to such a well-performed and well-bred son of Danehill as an attractive opportunity, and particularly as his 2012 service fee has already been set at just $4400.

“The best is yet to come for the breed. There’s genuine improvement to come from the Strada progeny already on the track, and considerable quality in his most recent crops produced in the Hunter Valley.

“I strongly believe the relocation of Strada will give his stud career renewed impetus built on a very solid foundation. The stallion’s owners Widden Stud, Alan Bell, John Symonds and Nick Moratis have backed him from the very start and fully intend to continue their support following his move to Riverdene Stud.”

 

Formidable’s pleasant surprise

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The Matthew Ellerton – Simon Zahra partnership is on fire with its 2yo runners and they produced another at Flemington on Saturday when Formidable (2 f Strada – Gladiator Girl, by Spartacus) defeated the heavily-backed $1.90 favourite If I Could (Iffraj) to win the Better Beyond Plate (1000m).

In contrast to the stables highly impressive Caulfield winner Sweet Little Lies the previous week, Formidable was unfancied in the betting but the filly showed much improved form than in two previous unplaced efforts in unofficial jumpout’s at Flemington to be prominent all the way and score a good win, despite racing greenly.

“There were only six acceptors so we might as well put her in and give her a day out,” Zahra said.¬†”She hasn’t showed that speed at home either. She has run fourth in both of her jumpouts at home. She hasn’t shown natural speed but she has shown plenty of toughness.”

“She showed brilliant speed and she mustered it quite quick,√Æ Symons said. “I just allowed her to travel where she was comfortable.¬†I had a bit of steering difficulty. I am glad it was a straight race and not around a turn, she would have been on the outside fence. I just coached her with the whip. She did the rest on her own.”

The General gets another stakes double

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Widden Stud’s late champion General Nediym (Nediym – Military Belle, by Without Fear) may have departed but he showed he could still produce winners at will with a Trans-Tasman stakes double on Saturday.

Travino (General Nediym – Miss Keaton, by Rubiton) continued to represent his sire with distinction in New Zealand after producing a gritty performance to win the Listed Wentwood Grange Stakes (1100m) at Te Rapa.

The Peter McKay-trained three-year-old raced handy to the pace before holding off the late charge of Sir Patrick Hogan’s filly Oasis Rose (Oasis Dream – Isaure, by Daliapour) to win be a half-length.

Across the Tasman, Night War (General Nediym – Samar, by Secret Savings) reversed the result of her last clash with Watermans Bay (Eternity Range – Parisian Princess, by Ron Bon) to win the Group 3 Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic (1400m) at Ascot.

Watermans Bay beat Night War in the Listed Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) before the filly found the step to 1400 metres more to her liking to wear down the Peter Giadresco-trained gelding.

Both Travino and Night War represented terrific value for their owners. McKay paid $130,000 for Travino at the 2011 Gold Coast Magic Millions Sale with Aquanita Racing’s bid of $90,000 was enough to purchase Night War at the same sale a year earlier.

Widden Stud had more reason to celebrate after Strada (Danehill – Shindig, by Straight Strike) earned his first stakes win as a sire when Charm’s Honour (Strada – She’s Got Charm, by Bletcharm) ploughed through a heavy Eagle Farm track to win the Listed Mode Plate (1200m).

2YO success for Lucky Owners

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Widden Stud resident Lucky Owners (Danehill – Miss Priority, by Kaapstad) sired his first two-year-old winner of the season when Lucky Us (Lucky Owners – Meritxell, by Thatching) took out the Become A Member Maiden (1050m) at Rockhampton.

The Todd Austin trained-colt posted a smart 2-3/4 length success in the $20,000 feature. Lucky Us became the second juvenile winner Widden has produced in Queensland this week after Snipzu (Snippetson – Pilgrim, by Danehill) scored at last Saturday’s Eagle Farm meeting.

Widden had success on the other side of Australia on Thursday with the Strada (Danehill – Shindig, by Straight Strike) three-year-old Settle Strada (Strada – Unsettled, by Thunder Gulch) scored a decisive win in the Western Allpest Maiden (1016m) at Bunbury.

Past and present Widden stallions have sired the winners of 113 races this season with Golden Slipper-winning sire Stratum (Redoute’s Choice – Bourgeois, by Luskin Star) leading the way with 32 successes.

Strait Shot for Strada

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Strait Shot (2 c Strada РPrivate Nip, by El Moxie)  became the seventh winner from the first-crop of Strada (Danehill) when winning comfortably in Tasmania on Sunday. Strait Shot was always travelling well and came away at the end of the 1120m $12,000 Alfa Maiden Plate at Launceston.

A $50,000 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale purchase by trainer Gary White from the Springfield Stud draft, Strait Shot had finished second on his debut.

Strada is advertised at $8,800 in 2011 at Widden Stud in NSW.

Six Widden youngsters engaged at Valley

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Widden Stud sires will have plenty of chances to win Wednesday’s Essendon Hyundai i30 Handicap (1000m) with the operation providing no less than six runners in the $30,000 race.

Stratum (Redoute’s Choice – Bourgeois, by Luskin Star) will provide four of the Widden Stud sextet, including the David Hayes-trained stakes winner Eramor (Stratum – Romare, by Marscay).

The Tony Noonan-trained Stratumsphere (Stratum – Aces Royale, by King’s High) and Jason Warren’s Strato Mostro (Stratum – Borely, by Reprimand) were the most expensive of Stratum’s five runners. The duo cost their owners $70,000 at Magic Millions sales on the Gold Coast.

Stratumsphere is a half-brother to the stakes winner Carlton Spirit (Fraar – Aces Royale, by King’s High) and the stakes-placed Carlton Ace (Bianconi – Aces Royale, by King’s High). Carlton Ace produced the stakes-placed juvenile Carlton Forward (Charge Forward – Carlton Ace, by Bianconi).

The Mick Price stable will produce Stratigraphy (Stratum – Diamond Masque, by Align) for his debut run. Diamond Masque (Align – Diamond Snip, by Snippets) is a sister to the Group 3 winner Coup Align.

Another young Widden sire, Strada (Danehill – Shindig, by Straight Strike) will be represented by the Mike Moroney-trained Chabrier (Strada – Aubade, by Mukaddamah) in the race. Smooth General (General Nediym – Vestey, by Last Tycoon) will represent the Widden legend General Nediym (Nediym – Military Belle, by Without Fear).

Smooth General is a half-brother to the Listed winner Rutherford Eagle (Favorite Trick – Vestey, by Last Tycoon) and the consistent mare Jolie Brise (Fastnet Rock – Vestey, by Last Tycoon).