Fast and precocious as a racehorse, Reward for Effort is the first Group I winning son of champion sire Exceed and Excel to go to stud and he's wasted no time in making his mark.
From 30 runners this season, Reward for Effort has produced 10 winners, nine of
them in Australia and one in South Africa.They include metropolitan winners Montana Star, Jevilla and Petite's Reward, while his star performer has been stakes-placed filly Take Pride.
The Murray Johnson trained filly was up and running early, scoring brilliant wins in December and January before finishing third to subsequent Group I winner Pasadena Girl in the Listed VRC Talindert Stakes in the autumn.
Reward for Effort has finished the season with a flourish posting three winners in July – Gold Symphony, Kilowatt and Pakaya Prince – all lightly raced youngsters that won at provincial Victorian tracks for astute trainers.
Reward for Effort retired to stud in 2011 at a modest fee of $11,000, but in the ensuing years the worth of his female pedigree and the reputation of his sire Exceed and Excel have both gone through the roof.
His three-quarter sister-in-blood Overreach came out and won the 2013 Golden Slipper and his sire Exceed and Excel was crowned Champion Australian Sire of 2012/2013 and finished second to Fastnet Rock this year.
Now the sire of 100 stakes-winners worldwide, Exceed and Excel was Champion
Australian 2YO Sire for 2012/2013 and took the title again this year with five
juvenile stakes-winners, the most of any sire this season.Given these developments, breeders have been quick to show their support for Reward for Effort, whose following books of mares after his initial year at stud have all been larger and of better quality.
His yearlings in 2015 sold for up to $160,000 and 11 that were sold at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale achieved a median price of $60,000.
"His second crop looked even better that his first crop," said Greg Willis of Chatswood Stud.
"On average, they were bigger, stronger, more mature and sold accordingly, providing a great return on service fee."
Some 22 of his new season two year-olds have been entered for the 2016 Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes, giving Reward for Effort a great chance to sire the winner of a race he won himself in 2009.
10 of his stock have also been entered for the 2016 Golden Slipper including his highest priced yearling, a colt from Tarcoola Ice that was purchased for $160,000 at Magic Millions by Mark Pilkington Bloodstock and Andrew Noblet Racing.
A Group I winner at two, Reward for Effort went on to compete successfully at three and four, winning further stakes races despite being hampered by injury, so there is every reason to be confident his progeny will improve with maturity.
With runs on the board and better crops to come, Reward for Effort is showing all the hallmarks of sire success and remains at the great value fee of $11,000 this spring.
For more information call Greg Willis on 0419 990 560 and visit www.chatswoodstud.com.au
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