The Group I MVRC Manikato Stakes (1200m) might play second fiddle to the Cox Plate on Saturday, but this elite sprint has been won by some outstanding horses including Rebel Dane, whose first big commercial crop of foals are being born this spring holding the promise of exciting times to come.
A brilliant sprinter that won eight races from age three to seven, Rebel Dane was super-fast and very sound, retiring with earnings in excess of $2.4million, but limited support early in his career has made the task of achieving commercial success at stud somewhat challenging.
Rebel Dane shot to fame when his first small crop of 26 foals produced Group III winning juvenile Subterranean and then his second crop produced a game changer, Champion 2YO and Golden Slipper winner Fireburn.
The foals born this spring by Rebel Dane are off the back of Fireburn and are his first conceived at Widden Stud when he relocated from Victoria and had his fee lifted to $27,500.
Rebel Dane covered 111 mares last spring and given his high fertility will have a great crop of foals in 2023 that have the potential to put him right in the commercial picture for years to come.
“Rebel Dane has already shown that he can get stakes-winners and importantly elite juvenile stakes-winners from very limited opportunity, so it’s hard not to be excited about what he can do when he has the numbers on his side,” said Widden Stud’s Matt Comerford.
“The foals we are seeing this year are outstanding and given their potential upside for the future and his exceptional fertility, Rebel Dane jumps out as a great late season option to get a mare in foal that may have missed previously.”
Among the mares in his book this spring are Fireburn’s dam Mull Over, imported stakes-winner Thunder Beauty (IRE) and Ring Da Belle, a half-sister to multiple Group II winner Haut Brion Her.
