As they enjoy getting to know one of the new boys on their already strong roster - Riverbank Farm's Russell Osborne and Dr Caroline Duddy have been cheering on a couple of that exciting young horse's promising relations.
Since arriving at the Benalla farm at the start of May, the handsome chestnut Dalasan has been winning hearts and Osborne is delighted with the response from broodmare owners.
"There has been lots of interest already and the bookings are steadily coming in," he said.
"He has settled in really well and he is a beautiful horse with a great temperament."
Dalasan's family is a prolific and in-form one - his promising half-sister, the three-year-old Party Princess, racing in great heart... recording a dominant barnstorming two length victory when taking on the boys in the Listed Adelaide Guineas a couple of weeks ago.
"She had a bit of class on them," said her delighted co-trainer Andrew Gluyas - " we are proud of her."
And jockey Jason Holder was impressed with her effort from the outside draw - "we drew an ugly gate but I was able to get her in and she did the rest."
"I thought it would take a good one to beat me and she won well."
Backing up a week later, Party Princess rose in class tackling the older horses in the Gr.3 R.A Lee Stakes and she was right in the thick of things in demanding conditions, so gallant beating some nice ones home in the race quinellaed by Foxy Frida and So Si Bon.
Dalasan also has a relation who has raced well in Japan in recent times - Al Satwa winning at Listed level last October... one of his six wins from 21 starts.
Members of this family really know how to find the line as evidenced by Dalasan himself - an eight times winner who was sound, tough and durable - traits he shares with his classy relations.
Such as the Group 3 Galic Boy (a 19 times winner who raced 65 times in a career spanning eight years), the dual Group winner Smokey Stover (eight wins from 14 starts), the two times Group 2 winner Dreadnaught (seven wins and 19 placings from 47 starts), the Listed winner Mellow Fellow (eight wins and ten placings from 61 starts) and the triple stakes winner Yourdreamsormine (eight wins and 16 placings from 49 starts).
Horses who have the will to win and strength broodmare owners want to breed into their horses - making Dalasan an outstanding option on the back of his eight wins... four of which came in Group company, another two at Listed level.
This is a family which has already proven itself in regards to stallion success, Dalasan also able to boast amongst his relations the wonderful sires Street Cry (sire of 133 stakes winners, an outstanding 71.6% winners-to-runners strike rate with 25 Group 1 winners including the mighty mares Winx and Zenyatta) and Shamardal (sire of 159 stakes winners - a 72.1% strike with 27 Group 1 winners).
It is worth noting that this family has well and truly proven its strength as a line-breeding force - making Street Cry and Shamardal mares very very interesting matches for Dalasan!
For further information contact Russell Osborne on 0423 768 155.
