A racetrack contemporary of the mighty Redoute's Choice, with whom he clashed 6 times and split results 3-3, Testa Rossa at age 21 has the verve and vitality of a stallion half his years.He was back in the headlines last weekend after siring progressive sprinter Enzo's Lad to win the Group I JR & N Berkett Telegraph at Trentham.
The Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained Enzo's Lad won a Listed 1000m event in November and despite being sent out at long odds was still able to beat the best Kiwi sprinters in training, taking out the prestigious 1200 metre dash by a short neck.
5yo Enzo's Lad was one of six stakes-winners in 2017 for Testa Rossa joining Testashadow, Dark Alert, Cavaloce, Time To Test and classy stayer Amelie's Star, who contested both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup!
A modest $15,000 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale purchase, Enzo's Lad has
won five races and placed seven times from 20 starts earning over $230,000 in prizemoney
and is typical of the Testa Rossa success story.Tough yearlings that step out to win early and then keep winning is what has made Testa Rosa a favourite with trainers and syndicators alike.
Early success in Victoria for Yallambee Stud, saw the six time Group I winner transferred to the Hunter Valley and a new home at Vinery Stud from which he never looked back.
"Testa Rossa has been a marvel at stud," Adam White of Vinery Stud reflected.
"Year in year out he comes up with quality runners. They are attainable at the sales and Enzo's Lad is a great example of that. Trainers and syndicators value Testa's progeny as they are horses they can put clients in with a lot of confidence."
Testa Rossa runs at a very high 74% winners to runners which puts him in the ultra elite company of proven sires and his 63 stakes-winners include globe-trotting sprinting superstar Ortensia and Group I winners Testafiable, Rostova and now Enzo's Lad.
Smaller foal crops in recent years have meant fewer sales yearlings by Testa Rossa,2018 marks the first time snice 2004 that he will not be represented at Melb Premier where he started, but there are four lovely youngsters entered for Inglis Classic and
to see them click here.Lot 393, a quality bay filly offered by Vinery Stud is of particular interest as she is a three-quarter sister-in-blood to Testa Rossa's Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Unencumbered. She is the second foal of Few Words, an unraced half-sister to stakes-winner Blizzardly, the dam of Unencumbered.
Testa Rossa is now carefully managed at stud and covered just 22 mares last Spring, returning 16 positives (70+%), so for his many fans there are still a few more of his offspring in the pipeline!
