Spring is well and truly in the air at Riverbank Farm where Russell Osborne and Dr Caroline Duddy have done such a good job building up a loyal client base that they have been able to add two new stallions to the roster.
On the back of the recent
announcement that Winx's half-brother Boulder City would be calling the Benalla
property home is the exciting news that Caulfield Guineas winner Anacheeva will
also stand at Riverbank this spring.
Despite his excellent racing and pedigree credentials, Anacheeva has never served large books of mares but owner Geoff Guest maintains the faith and is hopeful that a new home will see the ten-year-old afforded better opportunities.
"He has shown that with the right mare he can produce a good horse," Guest said, pointing to his own success with home-bred Ana Royale, winner of the Gr.3 SA Fillies Classic and two times Group One placed in the Australasian Oaks at Morphettville and the Queensland Derby at Doomben.
Winner of one of Victoria's premier stallion making races, Anacheeva has his name on the Caulfield Guineas honour roll alongside the likes of Starspangledbanner, Lonhro, Show A Heart, Redoute's Choice, Grosvenor, Sovereign Red, Luskin Star, Vain, Ajax and Heroic.
Also the winner of the Gr.3 Guineas Prelude and the Listed Mitchell McKenzie Stakes, Anacheeva amassed just short of $1million in stakes. A versatile galloper, he was a three length winner over 1200m at debut, during his two-year-old season finishing right in the thick of things when fourth in the Champagne Stakes.
Proving himself to be one of the state's best three-year-olds with his Caulfield victories, he was also a gutsy third in the AJC Derby won by Shamrocker.
Form in strong company from 1200m to 2400m; the mark of a good and adaptable horse.
Anacheeva is one of the 88 stakes winners sired by the outstanding Danzig stallion Anabaa, the July Cup winner who is one of the great shuttling success stories with Group One winners in both hemispheres - Goldikova, Anabar, Anabaa Blue, Plumania, Amonita, Style Vendome and Rouvres in the north and in the south Yell, Virage de Fortune, Anabandana, Le Drakkar, Imananabaa, Teranaba and Headturner.
The latter, winner of five races including the AJC Derby, is a full brother to Anacheeva; their dam being the wonderful Monroe Magic.
"Everything she throws is fantastic," Guest enthused, noting that the daughter of the influential Zabeel is also dam of the New Zealand Group One winner O'Marilyn and the Group Two galloper Kroner.
This is a consistent family that has been producing high quality performers for decades, its members including the Group winners Munson, Butterscotch, Golden Archer, Viennetta, Seize The Moment and Tasman Dancer.
"Anacheeva is a nice addition to complement our existing stallion roster as he brings the bloodlines of Anabaa and hails from a superior family," said Dr Duddy, adding that "at a reduced service fee of $3300 he provides great value for the owner breeder."
It is shaping as a busy season for everyone at Riverbank with Boulder City already proving popular, breeders appreciative of the bloodlines on offer... a son of champion stallion Snitzel out of the dam of one of the best gallopers of all time!
Whilst unraced the half-brother to Winx and full brother to the ill-fated Group Three galloper El Divino ticks many boxes being bred on the same highly successful Danehill/Success Express cross as the big race winners Shamus Award, Gold Edition and Excites.
Two other members of the Danehill sire line reside at Riverbank; the unraced but already proven Redente from the prolific Eau d'Etoile family and the Group One juvenile Skilled - son of Commands and the terrific broodmare Dextrous; already sire of the dual Gr.3 winner Pecans.
Also at Riverbank are ties to the great Encosta de Lago - his Gr.2 winning son Von Costa de Hero a resident as is Wayed Zain, son of High Chaparral and the Al Maher mare Zyoon, Encosta de Lago's half-sister from the internationally acclaimed Fanfreluche family.
And so there is something to suit every taste at Riverbank. For further information contact Russell Osborne on 0423 768 155.
