It’s been a fantastic fortnight for Rich Hill Stud shuttle stallion Satono Aladdin.
He is cementing himself in the top echelon of New Zealand’s stallion ranks with a series of Group One wins, highlighted by Pennyweka’s dominant three-length victory in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on Saturday.
The Classic victory came just seven days after Satono Aladdin won his first Group One as a sire, courtesy of the Mark Walker-trained Tokyo Tycoon in the Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Pukekohe, and Rich Hill Stud principal John Thompson said the two wins show the diversity of the stallion.
“It is great to get those results,” Thompson said.
“They were two such contrasting Group Ones, a two-year-old over 1200m and a three-year-old winning the Oaks over 2400m, it is a credit to the stallion to get horses like that.
“Group Ones are hard to win and it takes an elite-level horse to win them.
“Any stallion that can start throwing Group One winners like he has is putting themselves in the elite stallion bracket.”
Thompson was particularly sentimental about the Oaks victory given his close association with breeders Jim and Les Wallace and the struggles their family endured in the lead-up to the Oaks.
“It was quite an emotional time. I spoke with both Jim and Les after the win,” he said.
“Losing their mother a few days earlier, and (the loss) of David’s (Jim’s son) wife (Madeleine) as well, it was an emotional win for what they have been through.”
The Wallace’s have been big supporters of Rich Hill Stud over the years and Thompson was pleased to see his clients get their Classic success.
“It shows the long association I have had with them. The mare (Threepence) was by Pentire, so they have been breeding mares through Rich Hill for a long time,” he said.
Saturday’s win now ranks Satono Aladdin as the sixth leading sire in New Zealand this season from just 23 runners, and having served 169 mares last year, a bright future looks to be instore for the stallion who will return to Rich Hill Stud this coming breeding season.
“He is the leading second season sire and being in the top 10 when your oldest crop are three-year-olds is a good benchmark going forward for the future,” Thompson said.
“He got a lovely book of mares last year, particularly in the view that he had to go back a little bit earlier because of the quarantine requirements going into Japan.
“He will return this year and his fee will be pitched at a different level to what it has been.”
Rich Hill Stud has had a golden run of late, with Proisir poised to usurp Savabeel as New Zealand’s leading stallion, while Satono Aladdin and Shocking are firmly entrenched in the country’s top 10 sires.
“Vadamos is not too far off either,” Thompson said. “It has been a very exciting season. It is a credit to the stallions, the shareholders, and everyone associated with the farm.”
Adding further celebrations to the weekend was Ess Vee Are becoming Shocking’s 20th individual black-type winner when taking out the Listed St Leger (2600m) at Trentham.
“Shocking throwing his 20th stakes winner in the St Leger was great,” Thompson said.
“I have a long association with the Clothier boys who race Ess Vee Are. I went to school with them and they run Waharoa Transport, right around the corner from us.
“The mare is a young O’Reilly mare and that is her second foal and she is now the dam of a stakes winner.
“Arby, her Proisir son, ran a nice race in the Group One (Levin Classic, 1600m) for sixth, so they have got a lot to look forward to with the mare.
“She has got a Vadamos filly at foot and she is booked to Satono Aladdin. It is very exciting for them.”