What a send
off it was for Winx in Saturday's $4 million Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes,
the grand mare doing what Lonhro and Octagonal were able to do at their final
starts in that same race - saying goodbye to her tens ofthousands of
devoted fans with a typically soft victory - one that saw her retire as the
world's highest ever prize money earner.
Three consecutive wins in the same race, a feat achieved only twice in Queen
Elizabeth Stakes (a race first run in 1851 as the Queen's Plate) history; in
the early 1920s by David and by the legendary Carbine in the late 1800s.
On only two other occasions has the prestigious weight-for-age contest been won
on three times by the same horse - in the 1870s by Tim Whiffler (also winner of
the seventh running of the Melbourne Cup) and in the 1950s/60s by the champion
Tulloch.
This is a race of the true greats, also won by the likes of Phar Lap, Archer,
The Barb, Poitrel, Peter Pan, Flight, Might And Power, Lonhro... and Winx.
Historical
context for one of the best we have seen and all who witnessed create further
history on Saturday felt privileged to be there. And just as appreciative of
her feats were those watching from further afar including Riverbank Farm's
Russell Osborne and Dr Caroline Duddy who are so proud to be standing Winx's
half-brother Boulder City.
Retired to the Benalla stud last spring, the imposing son of Champion Stallion
Snitzel proved immediately popular with breeders, serving a strong book of 94
mares including daughters of Winx's sire Street Cry as well as mares by More
Than Ready, Tale Of The Cat, Choisir, Sebring, Grand Lodge, Fastnet Rock,
Rubiton, Exceed And Excel, Darci Brahma, Testa Rossa, Bluebird, Encosta de
Lago, Spinning World, Hussonet and Mossman.
The city winners Pretty Possum, Bonne Nuit, Cartoon Character, Lady Sebring, Sheedy's Sheila and Stella Delago was was the dam of stakes winner Becerra and sisters to the stakes winners Sable, Continuum, Oak Park, Upstaged, Generalife, Danger Close , Malasun, Stokehouse, Cecconi, Flag Of Pride, Danedina, Maloose, Law Of Logic and Maunatrice.
"We were delighted with how well Boulder City was received in his first season," Dr Duddy said, noting that Boulder City finished off the spring with impressive fertility stats in excess of 90%.
"He is really letting down into a magnificent horse and we will be very excited later in the year as his first foals arrive."
Not only is Boulder City a half-brother to a superstar, he is also a son of one - his Oakleigh Plate winning sire Snitzel constantly in the headlines as he continues to be represented by high class performers. 89 of his sons and daughters are stakes winners, 13 of those successful at the elite level.
Just in the
past few months siring the stakes winners Trapeze Artist (the recently retired
four times Group One winner), Taikomochi, Exhilarates, Snitzkraft and Cheer
Leader, Snitzel is not surprisingly Australia's most expensive stallion.
And what a week he has been having at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale; topping
an exceptionally strong sale with a $2.8 million colt whilst another two of his
youngsters fetched seven figures.
Boulder City's family has attracted attention at the sale also - a Medaglia
d'Oro filly out of his half-sister Miss Atom Bomb (already dam of the promising
three-year-old Nuclear Blitz) sold for $750,000 to Godolphin... the blue army
no doubt wanting part of the action after their best horses over the last few
years just have not been able to match the mighty Winx!
For further
information on Boulder City who stands alongside Redente, Skilled, Wayed Zai,
Anacheeva and Von Costa de hero, contact Russell Osborne on 0423 768 155.
Enquire about Riverbank's special deal with service fee including routine
reproductive veterinary fees (conditions apply).
www.riverbankfarm.com.au
