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The
sad passing of Shantha's Choice earlier this year has vacated the title of best
broodmare in the country, but Darley have a mare that seems poised to go all
the way and pick up right where she left off.
With five stakes-winners to her credit including the Group I winners Redoute's
Choice, Manhattan Rain and Platinum Scissors, Shantha's Choice was a blue hen
of the highest order, but not even she produced three stakes-winners from her
first three foals as has been done by the Darley owned Accessories (GB).
The Group I $1million ATC Golden Rose run at Rosehill last Saturday went the
way of Darley bred Commands colt Epaulette, a three-quarter brother toCaulfield Guineas winner Helmet and half-brother to another Group winner in
Bullbars.
While Commands has undoubtedly brought his share of genetic influence to the
mating that has produced Epaulette, the input from his mother Accessories (pictured here with her new foal, a filly by Exceed and Excel) can't
be underestimated.
An unraced nine year-old mare by Singspiel, Accessories was retired to stud
early as a three year-old after suffering a career ending injury. She has
started her stud career in spectacular fashion as her first three foals are all
stakes-winners in Bullbars (Group III winner and second in the Group I VRCAustralian Guineas), triple Group I winner Helmet and Epaulette.
Bullbars (Racepix Vic)
Helmet (Steve Hart)
Epaulette (Steve Hart)
"She's a phenomenal mare to do what she's done," said Darley Stud Manager, John
Sunderland.
"It's not unusual for mares to produce multiple stakes-winners in the course of
their career, but to do it with your first three foals is amazing.
"She's a good looking mare with a lovely nature and is a very good mother. Her
foals to date have all been very good looking in their own way and sensible as
well, although very different to each other physically.
"Bullbars (by Elusive Quality) was a neat style of bay horse, Helmet (by Exceed
and Excel) was a big flashy chestnut with a lot of scope and then Epaulette is
different again, a bay, but a much more precocious style of horse."
In the pipeline to come for Accessories are a two year-old filly by Street Cry
(IRE) called Brilliance and a filly by Exceed and Excel born at Darley two
weeks ago.
"Brilliance is a lovely filly and has been down to Peter Snowden, but being by
Street Cry, we're in no rush with her and then the latest foal is a lovely
filly and again has a big blaze like her brother Helmet, but is bay in colour,"
Sunderland said.
Accessories is due to be covered by Lonhro this spring and it's a match that
Sunderland has high hopes for.
"She's been to a variety of different sires and Lonhro is very different again,
but she's the best and he's the best, so we can only hope for the best!"
Sunderland added.
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