Redoute’s The Choice The World Over

REDOUTE’S THE CHOICE THE WORLD OVER 
By Alix Choppin 
Over the last 15 years, reverse shuttlers have become, if not a frequent sight, no longer an oddity on stallion rosters in the Northern Hemisphere. Octagonal (NZ) and Commands (Aus) blazed the trail when standing temporarily at Haras du Quesnay in the early 2000s, yet without attracting much interest from European breeders. It was Royal Ascot superstar Choisir (Aus) who really set the ball rolling in 2004, an evolution Coolmore summed up as “the concept of shuttle sires [having] turned full circle,” as Choisir’s own grandsire Danehill was among the pioneering shuttlers. The likes of Exceed and Excel (Aus), Encosta de Lago (Aus), Fastnet Rock (Aus) and Lonhro (Aus) have since followed in his footsteps. 

However, Redoute’s Choice (Aus) (Danehill)’s venture to Haras de Bonneval, ahead of the 2013 breeding season, was of a different sort. First of all, Arrowfield Stud and the Aga Khan Studs are independent operations, while most of the successful reverse shuttling experiences until then had been carried out within global conglomerates. Secondly, the stallion in question was no new kid on the block, however exciting: it was a 17-year-old national legend. 
To be fair, Redoute’s Choice had made a habit of breaking new ground. He made a winning debut in a listed event at Caulfield in February 1999 and was back at the same track seven days later to win the G1 Blue Diamond S., making light work of a gate 15 draw as well as of the country’s most fancied–and more experienced–juveniles. He then defeated elders on his first start as a 3-year-old in the G1 Manikato S. Overall, Redoute’s Choice ran ten times, winning on five occasions, four at Group 1 level, from 1200 to 1400 meters, and finished placed on three more occasions. 

At the time, John Messara, who had eventually been outbid by Coolmore over the ownership of Danehill, was keen to secure the best of his sons at his burgeoning Arrowfield Stud. Upon Redoute’s Choice’s retirement from racing, he purchased a majority interest in the horse, and his faith was swiftly rewarded. Redoute’s Choice was champion first-season sire in 2004; champion 2-year-old sire in 2005 and 2006, the year he also conquered his first title as Australia’s champion sire. As that season drew to a close, David Bay, editor of Australian Bloodstock Review, wrote, “While there have been many overtures to shuttle Redoute’s Choice, the insurance costs and the risks to the horse will make this unlikely to happen.” 

Those risks and insurance costs surely haven’t dwindled since, as Redoute’s Choice was champion sire again in 2010. In fact, by the end of 2012, he boasted a whopping 21 individual Group 1 winners and a total of 89 stakes winners–a rare 11% of his lifetime runners. He earned his third champion sire crown for the 2013/2014 season. 

And yet, the unlikely happened. As the 2013 covering season opened in the Northern Hemisphere, Redoute’s Choice was expecting his first dates at the heart of Normandy. As Georges Rimaud, head of the Aga Khan Studs, recalled, “It was a bold venture, involving substantial costs, yet we were confident that the horse would appeal to European breeders. His best asset was a huge degree of recognition, owing to his outstanding stud record in Australasia: he needed no introduction. He is also immaculately bred, being a son of Danehill–there aren’t so many of them in Europe any more–out of a direct descendant of the taproot mare Best In Show. Finally, he is close to perfection from a conformation point of view: he’s got the size, the bone, the athleticism – all things European mares, who tend to be on the small side, could only benefit from.”

And indeed, European breeders were prompt to seize the opportunity. Redoute’s Choice covered 105 mares in 2013 at a fee of €70,000, and 92 the following season, at €60,000. Almost half of them came from outside France. His patrons included leading breeders from all around Europe and even North America, headed by Wertheimer et Frere, Airlie Stud, Ballymacoll, Darley, Cheveley Park, Ecurie des Monceaux, Brookdale Farm, Gestut Etzean, Gestut Farhof, Gestut Schlenderhan, Lanwades, Haras de Saint-Pair, Al Shaqab, The Royal Studs, Gestut Ammerland, the Marquesa de Moratalla, Skymarc Farm and many more. 

Among the stellar names to appear on his books covered at Haras de Bonneval are that of the Group 1 winners Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar), Daryakana (Fr) (Selkirk), Gilt Edge Girl (GB) (Monsieur Bond {Ire}), Alpine Rose (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}), Shareta (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}), Sagawara (GB) (Shamardal), Mandesha (Fr) (Desert Style {Ire}), Rosanara (Fr) (Sinndar {Ire}), Occupandiste (Ire) (Kaldoun {Fr}), €850,000 purchase Spin (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), as well as the dams of Group 1 scorers like Goldikova (Ire), Vazira (Fr), Natagora (Fr). 

Redoute’s Choice’s first Northern Hemisphere foals have already started to be well received, with two of his sons selling at Tattersalls for 175,000gns and 82,000gns. Two fillies are set to go through the ring at Arqana today. Lot 173, from Haras de Tourgeville, is a half-sister to the group-winning juvenile Loi (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), from the family of the Group 1 winners Ask For The Moon (Fr) and Alterite (Fr), the latter of which also sells today. Lot 216, consigned by Haras d’Ombreville for Gestut Wittekindshof, is from a top-class German family: both her second and third dam, Next Gina (Ger) (Perugino) and Night Petticoat (Ger) (Petoski {GB}), landed the G1 Preis der Diana, while the page also features G1 Deutsches Derby scorer Next Desert {Ger} and G2 Oaks d’Italia winner Night of Magic (Ire) (Peintre Celebre). 

The catalogue also includes six well-related mares in foal to the Australian superstar. Among them are Naturotopia (Fr) (Northern Park) (lot 5), a winning half-sister to the G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Natagora (Fr) (Divine Light {Jpn}); Vadazing (Fr) (Spinning World) (lot 41), a half-sister to Vazira (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Vadawina (Ire) (Unfuwain), both victorious in the G1 Prix St-Alary and Alacrite (Fr) (Dr Fong) (lot 64), a half-sister to the GI Garden City S. scorer Alterite (Fr) (who sells as lot 188). 

While Redoute’s Choice will not shuttle again for the 2015 Northern Hemisphere season–he turned 18 in September–Rimaud reflects on the experience as resolutely positive. 

“It’s definitely been instructive and we are delighted that everything went well,” he said. “We showed that it is possible to stand in France a stallion of the highest international standard, with the price to match. The lesson we’ve learned is that it is not a question of price but of what is on offer: if the quality is there, the good mares will come. It was also rewarding to see so many mares come from abroad. Overall, the interest in the horse was a great satisfaction.” 

Rimaud continued, “I think that what helped is that he is such a high-profile sire on a global scale, and we were able to announce his arrival from an early stage. This is the difficulty about renewing the experience: we have had several propositions but most of the Southern Hemisphere stallions are little known in Europe. The costs and risks of the operation are such that you need to make sure there is an appetite for the horse.”