It's All Ahead for Sun Stud's Chains Of Honour

Mark Smith - Saturday December 21

Few fans would walk off Eagle Farm this afternoon not believing they had seen a very, very good horse in the Gerald Ryan-trained Chains Of Honour.

Sun Bloodstock’s 3yo son of Redoute’s Choice was backed as if unbeatable in the Group III Mullins Grand Prix Stakes (2206m) but it all looked bleak in the run.

Whatever could go wrong did go wrong. Caught wide despite drawing an inside barrier, Chains Of Honour was racing so fiercely his rider Mark Zahra was left with little alternative other than to send him to the lead.

The lightly-raced gelding was probably entitled to turn it up in the straight but he kept up a relentless gallop to defeat the Mark Newnham-trained Mission Phoenix (Reset) by two and a half lengths with the Robert Heathcote-trained Mosshiki (Mossman) a length back in third.

Ryan said there were few suitable races in Sydney for Chains Of Honour but he’s eyes lit up when he saw a Group III over 2206 metres at Eagle Farm.

"There just wasn't anything for him, so I thought let's see what is available in Brisbane. I saw this race and I felt it would be perfect for him provided there was some pace," Ryan told AAP.

"Never did I think he would end up leading but once he was there, I wasn't worried because I know he would just keep going."

Faint Perfume the dam of Chains Of Honour image Mark Smith

Ryan said he is almost certain to be back for the Group 1 Queensland Derby in May but will also look at the Group 1 Australian Derby in the autumn.

"He will go home to the water walker and then we can see how he looks. The Australian Derby certainly isn't off the table," he said.

Advertisement

"When he won his maiden at Gosford I told his owners they might have their first hurdles winner and then when he won first-up I said he might be a Jericho Cup (a 4600m race) horse.

"But all jokes aside. He is a dead-set stayer and I think he will get 3200m at least."

Chains Of Honour advances his record to 3 wins from 4 starts with earnings of $191,355 and gives hope that Sun Stud will recoup a sizeable portion of the $700,000 it shelled out for Chain Of Honour’s champion dam Faint Perfume at the 2016 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale when she was carrying the future Grand Prix Stakes winner.

Carrying the colours of Dato Tan Chin Nam, Faint Perfume was the Champion 3YO Filly in Australia in 2009-10. Her five wins included the Group 1 VRC Oaks and Group 1 STC Vinery Stud Stakes and was placed in the Group 1 AJC Australian Oaks and Group 1 MRC Thousand Guineas.

Sun Stud has retained a filly by Snitzel named Maranoa who is in training with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

Faint Perfume has a yearling filly from the penultimate crop of Redoute’s Choice and has a filly foal from the first crop of Snitzel’s Group II winner Thonum.

Chains Of Honour becomes the 169th stakes-winner for Arrowfield Stud’s sadly missed breed-shaper Redoute’s Choice who died in March this year.

Advertisment

Race Result - Mullins Grand Prix Stakes Gr3 2206m

Eagle Farm Track: Good(3) Time: 2:17.59
1
Chains Of Honour
- 3g Redoute's Choice (AUS) x Faint Perfume (AUS) (Shamardal (USA))
Tnr: G A Ryan Rdr: M Zahra 57
2
2.5
Mission Phoenix
- 3g Reset (AUS) x Oh Susannah (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: Mark Newnham Rdr: L V Cassidy 57
3
3.5
Mosshiki
- 3g Mossman (AUS) x Furoshiki (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: R L Heathcote Rdr: M Rodd 57
Mossman
4
3.9
Smart Meteor
- 3g Smart Missile (AUS) x Tempting Lady (AUS) (Northern Meteor (AUS))
Tnr: Chris Munce Rdr: Justin Huxtable 57
5
4.6
Savvy Valentino
- 3g Savabeel (AUS) x High Fashion (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: B N Stewart 57
6
5.9
Southern Swing
- 3g Mahisara (AUS) x Syncopated Groove (AUS) (Rhythm (USA))
Tnr: D J Hansen Rdr: Ron Stewart 57
7
7.6
Don't Waiver
- 3g Not A Single Doubt (AUS) x Umatilly (AUS) (Umatilla (NZ))
Tnr: S W Kendrick Rdr: R Fradd 57
8
8.6
Private Detective
- 3g Husson (ARG) x Unholy Miss (AUS) (God's Own (AUS))
Tnr: G D Hickman Rdr: M Hellyer 57
9
14.4
Tears Of Love
- 3g Love Conquers All (AUS) x Here No Tears (AUS) (Dehere (USA))
Tnr: M A Kropp Rdr: G Geran 57
10
21.9
Haleighozae
- 3g Tycoon Ruler (AUS) x Cuban (AUS) (Iglesia (AUS))
Tnr: G R Schwenke Rdr: Luke Tarrant 57
11
22.9
Real It In
- 3f Real Saga (AUS) x Love Of Liberty (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: P & W Hulbert Rdr: Adin Thompson 55
More Reading...
Antino King of Doomben with Track Record Breaking Victory
Trainer Tony Gollan has earmarked the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) as the long-range target for star galloper Antino after a stunning victory in the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) on Saturday in track record time.
G1 Stradbroke Next for War Machine
Hot favourite War Machine made light work of his rivals in the Gr.3 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday and it is now all systems go as the four-year-old son of Harry Angel (IRE) heads towards the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 14.  
Redoute’s Choice Lookalike Colt Wins Stakes
Alabama Express, a colt with a remarkable likeness to his ill-fated champion sire Redoute’s Choice, kickstarted stakes racing at Caulfield on Saturday with a tenacious win over race favourite Hilo in the Listed MRC Gothic Stakes over 1400m.
Brisbane Possible for Resurgent Velocious
Group One winner Velocious bounced back to her brilliant best in the Jarvis Trading (1100m) at Te Rapa on Saturday, raising the possibility of a trans-Tasman mission.
Philia Highlights Oaks Claims With Tenacious The Roses Win
Successful last time out in the Listed Princess Stakes when becoming the 30th stakes winner for her sire All Too Hard, the David Vandyke trained Philia went four from four this time in, leading through to win the Group 2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben.
Almanzor Keeps Winners Coming for Moody- Coleman
The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained Roadcone led his rivals a merry dance when winning the Stow Storage Solutions Handicap (1600m) at Sandown on Saturday, bringing up a treble for the stable and jockey Luke Cartwright.
Sires With Winners - Saturday May 24
Here is the full list of 102 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
$1.4 Million Redoute's Choice Colt Heading to the Magic Millions 2yo Classic
A striking Redoute’s Choice colt with a stallions pedigree, King’s Legacy had plenty riding on his performance in Saturday’s Group III Magic Millions B.J. McLachlan Stakes, not the least being he needed to win to earn a place in the $2 million Magic Millions 2yo Classic at the Gold Coast in a fortnight.
Hellbent Filly Wins Listed Bill Carter
The $160,000 Listed BRC Bill Carter Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday had a short priced favourite in Hellbent filly Sunrays and she gave punters no cause for concern when powering clear for a dominant victory.
Listed Chief De Beers Stakes To Manhood
Surprisingly contesting black type racing for the first time in his career, it was first time lucky for the Annabel and Rob Archibald trained Manhood after the 6yo son of Headwater was strong to the line, leading throughout to win the Listed Chief De Beers Stakes (1110m).