There was plenty of excitement at Armidale Stud last spring with the arrival of the first foals for the well credentialled young stallion Alpine Eagle, a particularly good looking and highly talented son of the late, great High Chaparral.
Fast
forward to this month and six members of Alpine Eagle's debut crop are being
prepared to make their way through the ring at the annual Inglis Great Southern
Sale at Oaklands Junction on June 16 & 17.
Armidale's David Whishaw is full of anticipation as the sale draws closer, confident that buyers will see the same qualities as he does in the progeny of the so far bay dominant Alpine Eagle.
"His foals are beautifully balanced with gorgeous heads. They are strong and athletic individuals and it doesn't matter what type of mare people have put to him, they all seem to have come out with his stunning good looks and that great High Chaparral walk."
"All the good judges have been blown away with the quality he is stamping on his foals," Whishaw continued.
"They have been stamped with good limbs and well-muscled, strong hindquarters. They have inherited their sire's exceptional good looks, fantastic temperaments and athleticism. We can't wait until they get to the track!"
Three of
the five Alpine Eagles for sale are members of the Armidale draft - kicking off
with lot 173, a lovely filly out of the three times city winning Perugino mare
Grisbi who has already produced three winners including the smart Tasmanian
Havana Stash and the Victorian metropolitan grade winner Grisbi's Run. Boasting
crosses of the wonderful mares Fairy Bridge and Special, she is closely related
to the durable stakes winners Back On Target and Fast Talker.
"She is a well-made filly, a precocious type who floats along the ground, Whishaw sad.
"She has it all - athleticism , intelligence and exceptional looks... we can't wait to see her on the track!"
Another imposing youngster is lot 428, half-brother to the multiple winners Sudden Blitz and Bold Street Cat out of an Encosta de Lago (dam sire of three stakes winners by High Chaparral) half-sister to the Gr.2 winner Champagne Harmony. Hailing from the high class family of big race winners St Reims, Champagne, Charmont and Bonneval, he carries a 3 X 3 cross of the great Zabeel.
"He is a gorgeous, scopey, well balanced, good looking colt who is exceptionally correct with a seriously athletic walk."
Lot 453
also has an interesting pedigree, a colt of the two-year-old winning Hold That
Tiger mare Tasmanian Tiger who hails from the prolific Aloe family (the branch
which produced the Gr.1 winners Bel Sprinter, Always Aloof Leading Light and
Tolylsome) of which Alpine Eagle boasts multiple strains. He is a half-brother
to the two times stakes placed Zatacla and the smart Galeocerdo; durable
winners of eight races each.
"Without a doubt has unfaultable conformation. Size, balance, scope, bone and movement... he is unquestionably exceptional!"
Whishaw is also looking forward to seeing a couple of Alpine Eagles bred by clients at the sale... lot 176 presented by Rothwell Park being a son of the Gr.2 placed seven times winner Gwynethanne and lot 477, Phoenix Broodmare Farm's colt from the immediate family of Gr.1 winner Montoya's Secret.
A brilliant winner of four of his 12 starts including the Gr.2 Autumn Classic (and a gallant fast-finishing second in the Gr.1 Australian Guineas), Alpine Eagle has been well supported in his first two years at stud and amongst his other youngsters are half-brothers and sisters to the stakes winners Hellova Street and Streetwise Savoire, Pateena Arena and Ammirata and sons and daughters of the stakes winning mares Gehenna, I'm A Hussy, Petite Oiseau, Rose Ceremony and Swooper.
A $240,000 graduate of the 2013 Karaka Premier, Alpine Eagle caught the eye from the word go, showing so much early ability that he was sent out a hot odds-on favourite at his juvenile debut, treating his rivals to a 4 1/2 length galloping lesson.
Whilst injury curtailed his career, what we saw of Alpine Eagle was enough to suggest that he had the natural talent to take his place alongside High Chaparral's 23 Gr.1 winners - several of whom, such as Dundeel, So You Think and Toronado - are already proving themselves a stud.
Described by trainer Tony McEvoy as a "magnificent, athletic horse with a powerful finish," Alpine Eagle stands for $7700 alongside Mystic Journey's sire Needs Further and fellow proven stallion Tough Speed.
For further information on Alpine Eagle contact David Whishaw on 0407 868 269 or Robyn Whishaw on 0419 100 634. Watch him at: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HrU9WWZKgBk
