Thursday, 9 August 2012: Illustrious Blue; Melito; Gerry Harvey; Moonee Valley Sires Parade; Monarchos
* DANSILI stallion Illustrious Blue, winner of the 2010 Goodwood Cup, has been retired to Ridgeview Farm in Victoria.
The nine-year-old will be only the second son of Dansili to stand in Australia after
Coolmore's young prospect
Zoffany.
Illustrious Blue retires as the winner of 10 races from 7f to two miles including seven at Goodwood.
His other Goodowood wins included the Glorious Stakes and Festival Stakes plus the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot.
He was brought to Australia for the 2010 Melbourne Cuyp and stayed on to be trained first by David Payne and then Chbris Waller. He was unplaced in eight starts for those trainers.
Illustrious Blue is a half-brother to Listed winner Mullein out of the German stakeswinner Gipsy Moth (Efisio).
* OUTSTANDING mare Melito, the top lot at the 2012 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, has produced her first foal for her new owner Tom Magnier.
Purchased for $1.65 million in foal to champion sire Encosta de Lago in her first season at stud, Melito has delivered a bay colt that has delighted the team at
Coolmore Australia.
Bred and raced by Reavill Farm, Melito won five races and placed 13 times from 26 starts with prizemoney of $1.9 million.
Her victories included the GI TJ Smith Stakes and G1 Winter Stakes.
By Redoute’s Choice, Melito has a big pedigree to compliment her race record, tracing to celebrated producer Summoned.
Summoned's descendants include champion sprinter and sire Zeditave, champion stayer Greys Inn, champion New Zealand filly Shikoba and brilliant juvenile Military Rose.
Melito will be covered by 10-time GI winner
So You Think at
Coolmore Stud this spring.
* DYNAMIC businessman Gerry Harvey and his wife and business partner Katie Page Harvey will be special guests at the 2012 National and NSW Breeding Awards Dinner in Scone on August 25.
The Harvey Norman retail king is one of Australia’s biggest owners of broodmares and racehorses and owns historic Baramul Stud in the Widden Valley. He is also a partner in Vinery Stud at Scone.
He and Katie Page Harvey also own Australia’s biggest bloodstock sales company, the Gold Coast headquartered Magic Millions.
The Breeders National Awards Dinner will see awards for the 2011-12 season presented for the Champion Sire, Champion Sire of 2YOs, Champion First Season Sire, Australian Stud Book Broodmare of the Year and Aushorse Breeder of the International Horse of the Year.
* VICTORIA'S new sires will be on show at Moonee Valley on August 24.
Victoria's breeding strength has been boosted this year by an impressive line up of new sires, including Black Caviar’s younger brother Moshe (Eliza Park), champion miler Canford Clifs (Blue Gum Farm), G1 winner Master of Design (Swettenham), One World (Larneuk), Anacheeva (Chatswood), Danesis (Carin Park), Ilovethiscity (Larneuk), Love Conquers All (Eliza Park), Rebel Raider (Carin Park), Skilled (Darley) and Toorak Toff (Rosemont).
Anacheeva, Ilovethiscity, Master of Design, Moshe, One World and Toorak Toff will be paraded at Oaklands on August 16 as a lead up to the second annual ‘The Stallions Come To Town’ parade at Moonee Valley racecourse from 4pm to 6pm on Friday August 24.
The showing of the new sires on August 24 is supported by an Industry Expo, Industry Forum and Victorian Owners and Breeders Awards.
* KENTUCKY Derby winner and successful sire Monarchos is recuperating after he underwent emergency colic surgery on July 31.
The 14-year-old stallion by Maria's Mon won the 2001 Kentucky Derby and Florida Derby and ran second in the Belmont Stakes and Wood Memorial.
He is already the sire of 15 stakes winners, including 2009 US champion female sprinter Informed Decision.
He stands at Nuckols Farm in Kentucky.
