Every racehorse owner’s dream is to campaign a champion of Sunline (NZ), Lonhro or Miss Andretti proportions, but only a very rare few get the chance. A galloper that realises its full potential and earns a tidy amount of prizemoney along the way is a far more realistic hope for the vast majority and something eminently achievable by using Riverdene Stud stallions…

Hillston Exchange is the latest example of a resident stallion producing a top money-spinner for connections. One of the stars of the Melbourne winter racing period, the son of MARWINA took his earnings up around the $300,000 mark with his last start scintillating victory at Sandown.

Hillston Exchange now holds an engagement in the $200,000 Winter Championship Final (LR) this coming weekend and should prove to be the hardest competitor to beat going on his past few efforts in the Victorian capital.

Certainly, all at Riverdene extend out best wishes to local trainer Dave Heywood, who set the horse for the series some months ago.

As Heywood expressed this week in the national press: “It’s a race I’ve targeted as $120,000 (first prizemoney) is a lot for a bush trainer.” A Listed stakes success would also prove to be an impressive addition to the popular horseman’s C.V.

Hillston Exchange is by no means the only galloper sired by MARWINA to snare a bag full of loot for his lucky connections. The sire-son of Marscay has been represented by a host of good metropolitan winners over the years, and especially so in Melbourne, with the seasoned campaigner Marwin Gold the obvious stand-out.

For the record, Marwin Gold has scored 18 career wins and amassed $509,450 in earnings to hold pride of place among MARWINA’s progeny. However, a long line of offspring by the stallion has also returned some very respectable six-figure sums over the years. These include the likes of Blinded ($361,583), Blue Wina ($222,500), Greek Adonis ($195,525), My Czech Chick ($132,870), Winning Spirit ($128,210), Blue Marwina ($122,850) and Wombalano Belle ($122,180).

With over 225 individual winners already to his name, MARWINA’s stud record speaks for itself. Indeed, when compared to many of his contemporaries standing in the same price range, a breeder-owner could do a great worse by shopping elsewhere for their broodmare this coming stud season.

The promising ZARIZ sprinter Rikkizar is another prime example of a Riverdene Stud stallion being responsible for a galloper with genuine winning ability.

One of the most precocious 2-year-olds of the previous racing season, Rikkizar recently took a Class 3 event at Hawkesbury and is now the winner of four races from just 16 starts at a strike-rate of 25 percent.

Of course, the same ZARIZ foal crop features the 2007 SAJC South Australian Derby (G1) winner Lazer Sharp. The Classic winner’s success at the highest level has played its part in catapulting his forebear’s name among the leading second season sires in Australia with total progeny earnings through to the end of June amounting to $731,529.

Adding further credence to the achievement of ZARIZ this season is the fact that he has only been represented by 39 runners to date. Notably, only one stallion figuring in the top-10 for the category has been represented by fewer runners.

Bearstone Stud, home of our 2007 shuttle stallion INDESATCHEL (Ire), report that the dual Group winning son of Danehill Dancer (Ire) has enjoyed a very positive first stud season in the northern hemisphere.

With the English stud season rapidly drawing to a close, we have it on good authority that INDESATCHEL has proven to be popular and fertile, connections reporting that his first book of mares exceeded expectations.

Even before recent events, INDESATCHEL appealed as a very exciting prospect following an excellent racing career. However, results of late have only enhanced his profile with the reputation of his sire, Danehill Dancer, still in the ascendancy.

Only last weekend, Danehill Dancer celebrated three stakes winners on the same feature six-race card at The Curragh. Closer to home, his sire-son Choisir is heading towards the Champion First Season Sire’s title.

If ever Riverdene clients should be taking full advantage of a Danehill Dancer stallion, it is now!
Please note, bookings to INDESATCHEL are restricted.

Those of you with empty or maiden mares need to give thought to getting these mares ‘under lights’ as soon as possible (early July) if you wish to give yourself the best possible chance of having a mare cycling in early September. This process takes six to eight weeks, so you cannot afford to wait too long even if you have not yet finalized your plans for the season.
Phone David Keegan 0417 378 591.