The Eliza Park Victorian bred Redzel took his earnings to a staggering $15,372,000 when successfully defending his crown in Saturday's $13 million Everest (1200m) at Randwick.
This second Everest win brought great joy to the several Eliza Park staff who cared for him after he was born in September 2012.
With Kerrin McEvoy again in the saddle, the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained gelding dominated the race from the front on a rain-sodden surface to defeat Trapeze Artist by one and a quarter lengths..
Redzel is the tenth living foal and second stakes-winner, (also including Group 3 winner, now Rangal Park sire Danerich), for the former top-class Rubiton mare Millrich.
A winner of the Group 3 Sweet Embrace Stakes, Millrich was also placed in the Group 1 Golden Slipper, Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes, Group 2 Magic Night Stakes and Group 2 San Domenico Stakes.
Redzel would be her eleventh but sadly and final foal as just a few weeks after Redzel was born Millrich passed away due to laminitis.
Now known as the likely the most successful orphan to grace the track, Redzel was sold as a weanling when Eliza Park faced financial difficulties and was placed into receivership.
Sold through the 2013 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale at Newmarket for $45,000 to Marquee Stud, Redzel, being an orphan foal had become a staff favourite.
Long time Eliza Park employees Jenny Saunders and John Jeffs said the tough little colt was always a standout.
"I remember him as a gorgeous colt when he was a weanling. He looked like he still had so much improvement in him, but the raw product was there to be seen," Jeffs said this week.
"Unfortunately for us (Eliza Park), there was no reserve on any of the horses so he went cheap (at the weanling sale). All of the bloodstock was sold through the sales…it was through no fault of his own."
"Later when he was sold as a yearling for $120,000 by Marquee Stud at the Magic Millions Gold Coast sale, Jenny Saunders our yearling manager, excitedly came up to me and said that she had found our boy and to come and have a look at him.
"Well, we walked around the back and saw that he had developed and grown into the most beautiful yearling you'd ever seen in your life. He had the right attitude that has carried him in good stead into his incredible racing career. The rest is history I guess.
"He was a doll, everyone loved him, and it's so good to see him go on to be such a wonderful horse. I will always be cheering for him – maybe in the Manikato in two weeks."
Although the lead up for Redzel to defend his Everest title wasn't perfect, becoming cast in his box on the eve of The Shorts, and then being unplaced in his next run in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes at Randwick,, it didn't stop him taking out the big race on Saturday.
"People wrote him off but I think it's all about knowing and believing in your horse," Peter Snowden said. "You don't ever give up in this sport, that's how we treat everything."
"Don't throw the toys out of the cot, don't throw yourself down, just try to do your best to get things back on track again."
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