A champion sire, a champion sire of sires and a champion broodmare sire, the Redoute’s Choice legacy is on display in Saturday’s Group III Star Kingdom Stakes at Rosehill Gardens.
The Sire
The New Zealand-trained Ardrossan is one of 83 live foals from the 14th crop of Redoute’s Choice.
His form in New Zealand has been exemplary, where he has won four of five starts including the Group III Concorde Stakes at Ellerslie. He comes across the Tasman off a close-up third behind the start Commands mare Melody Belle in the Group 1 BCD Sprint at Ellerslie.
However, his form in three starts in Australia for Mick Price was nothing to write home about.
After finishing 7th of 8 in the Group II Rubiton Stakes at Caulfield in February last year, beaten less than three lengths, Ardrossan was off the scene for 27 weeks before kickstarting his campaign in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes at Caulfield last August.
He again beat just one of the 11 starters home though he was just over three lengths from the winner, the top-class Osborne Bulls, with Land Of Plenty second and Brave Song (who is also in the Star Kingdom) back in third. 
To complete a disappointing term with Mick Price, Ardrossan tailed the field home at his next start. Cardiac arrhythmia was diagnosed, and it was back to New Zealand for the more familiar surrounds of the Stephen Marsh stables.
Carrying the colours of part-owner Waikato Stud, Ardrossan (pictured as a yearling) was a $150,000 purchase by Bruce Perry Bloodstock out of the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2016 Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.
A half-brother to the stakes winners Bergerac and Cheyenne Warrior, Ardrossan is out of the talented race filly Miss Argyle who had four times as many barrier trials as she had race starts.
She finished second on debut in the 2006 AJC Gimcrack Stakes to Hurried Choice then ended her career when beaten out of a place in the Group III Sweet Embrace Stakes at Randwick.
Purchased as a yearling for $270,000 at the 2006 Magic Millions by Gai Waterhouse, Miss Argyle was the third most expensive yearling ever sold by Iglesia.
From an old Eureka Stud family, Miss Argyle is a sister to the 15-time winner and dual Listed winner Diamondsondinside and a half-sister to the dam of the Group II Queensland Guineas winner Express Air.
Windemere Stud purchased Miss Argyle in 2008, for the same price she made as a year4ling and she has been a reliable producer for them missing just once in 12 years.
She has an unraced 2yo gelding by Shamus Award named Incentivise, a yearling gelding by Golden Archer and a filly foal by Whittington and was covered by the son of Tale Of The Cat again last spring.
The Sire Of Sires
Wherever there is stakes action, Snitzel is never far away and the son of Redoute’s Choice will have his Golden Slipper-winning daughter Estijaab to represent him in the Star Kingdom Stakes.
The $1.7 million yearling hasn’t been too far away in two starts since her slipper triumph and she will have plenty of support to open her 3yo account here.
The Broodmare Sire
Redoute’s Choice is on track to win his first Champion Broodmare Sire this season.
He currently holds a $2.6 million lead over the winner of the last three titles, Encosta de Lago.
And he has been doing it with the likes of Godolphin’s Street Cry (IRE) gelding Trekking.
This 4yo gelding wouldn’t know how to run a bad race and he is in the Star Kingdom with a winning chance.
So, let’s celebrate the life of the most influential stallion so far this century who had 19 productive seasons at Arrowfield Stud.
From the class that went to stud 2000, he outlived his nearest rival Commands by nearly five years.
There were signs Redoute’s Choice (images by Mark Smith) was slowing down in recent years, covering 74 mares in 2017 and 45 last year.
In 2007 and 2008 he stood for a record fee of $330,000.
The racing world is hoping that his outstanding son The Autumn Son is not yet finished on the track.
Maybe the fact that he has the chance to become the most prolific Group 1 winner by his sire is enough motivation to keep him going.
He presently holds the record of five with Horse Of The Year Lankan Rupee and the Champion 2yo and 3yo Filly Miss Finland.
I guess that’s not a bad pair to be associated with.
