Aussie breeds Swedish Derby winner

Darryl Sherer - Tuesday July 16
Former shuttle-sire Hard Spun is responsible for the latest Swedish Derby winner Red Cactus - and he's bred by an Australian!.

Red Cactus. Image: Svensk GaloppThe Svensk Derby has been run since 1918 and on Sunday at Jagersro Galopp in Malmo Red Cactus (3 c Hard Spun - Strut The Canary) faced 14 rivals and, aided by an inside run in the home straight, came through to defeat Privilegiardo (Sea The Moon) by 3-1/2 lengths with the filly Queen Rouge (Lord Of England).

Inbred 2x5 to Danzig (Northern Dancer), Red Cactus was bred by Twin Hills Stud principal Oliver Tait and sold for $US80,000 as a yearling at the Keeneland September before being sold for £80,000 as a Breeze-Up 2yo in England to his current owner, Lone Kaj-Nielsen.

Red Cactus finished third in the Group II UAE 2,000 Guineas on dirt and two wins in Sweden followed including a nine-length victory in the Svensk Derby Trial.

Hard Spun won seven of his 13 starts, notably the Grade I King's Bishop Stakes over seven furlongs at Saratoga.

Retired to stud in 2008 under the Darley banner and shuttling for the first of six seasons to Australia the same year. From his 501 live foals conceived in Australia he is responsible for three-time Group I winner Le Romain and the Group II West Australian Derby winner Gatting, both those geldings having Night Shift (Northern Dancer) as their maternal grandsire.

Hard Spun's best runners in the northern hemisphere include Questing, the champion 3YO Filly in USA in 2012, as well as Grade I winners Hard Aces, Wicked Strong and Hard Not To Like.

Strut The Canary won five races in the US and finished third in the Listed Sugar Maple Stakes at Charles Town. The granddam Flash Of Fashion (Petionville) is a sister to Grade I La Brea Stakes and Santa Monica Handicap winner Island Fashion. The third dam is the Likely Exchange Stakes winner Danzigs Fashion (A Native Danzig).


Advertisment
More Reading...
Hard Spun's Gatting Shocks in Makybe Diva
The flags were flying proudly in Perth on Saturday as shortly after their champion Arcadia Queen captured the Group II Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill with a minimum of fuss, the hard-knocking Gatting did what he failed to achieve in three starts at home, win a race at the highest level.
Unbeaten Run Continues For Ole Kirk’s Daughter Ole Dancer
Successful in the Magic Millions SA 2YO Classic at Murray Bridge on debut back in March, the Peter Moody and Katherine Colemen trained filly Ole Dancer resumed at Sandown on Saturday, winning the Senet Gambling Law Experts Handicap (1200m) to remain unbeaten.
Consecutive Black Type Victories For Snitzel Filly Bridal Waltz
Stepping up to open company is always a tough task, but 3yo Snitzel filly Bridal Waltz graduated from a last start Listed win over her own age to win the $200,000 Group 3 MRC Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
Season Finale Flourish for So You Think
Coolmore stalwart So You Think is powering to the end of the Australian racing season with a six winner flurry on Saturday highlighted by a winning treble at Randwick led by his progressive mare Oh Diamond Lil.
Winning Hat-Trick for Gold Standard 2YO
When an unheralded sire produces a Group I winner in their first crop as happened for Sebring stallion Gold Standard it can take a long time for the benefit of that early splash to take effect, but in his case the wait is nearly over and in the meantime Destiny’s Summit is a good reminder as to his merit.
Two New SW's for Too Darn Hot
Too Darn Hot is set to be crowned Champion Australian Second Season Sire and is headed back to Darley Australia this spring at a fee of $275,000 and overnight he produced two new stakes-winners in the UK and Ireland.
First SW For So You Think Stallion Tamasa As Cicala Takes Out Lightning
One of just three named foals by the So You Think stallion Tamasa, the Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea trained 3yo filly Cicala remained unbeaten, going three from three by winning the $120,000 Listed SAJC Lightning Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville.
One to Watch Wins Again in Saturday Class
The half-brother to Group II winner Stretan Angel, lightly raced three year-old Brutal gelding Glorious Moments was in a class of his own at Randwick on Saturday.
Another G1 Triumph for Aga Khan Stud Bred Gelding
Aga Khan Studs don’t race a lot of geldings, but one that they do is Calandagan, who made it back to back G1 wins overnight when beating a select field in a tactical battle to win the Group I King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1m4f) at Ascot.
Hello Youmzain Filly Wins NZ Last Stakes Race of Season
Talented juvenile filly Platinum Diamond made all posts a winner when she captured her second consecutive stakes victory in the last black type feature of the 2024-2025 racing season, the Listed Phils Electrical & Gypsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki.