Changeintheweather is flying in two fronts in North America in the lead-up to his first season standing at Merlo Downs in Queensland this year.

Changeintheweather (Gone West) has sired 40 winners from his first crop in the USA and his winners-to-runners strike-rate is a sensational 67.6%.

The focus on his own family intensified on Sunday when his brother-in-blood Marsh Side won the G2 Sky Classic Stakes at Woodbine.  

Marsh Side has now won 7 races and $2.50 million in a career that includes Group 1 victories in the 2008 Canadian International and 2009 Northern Dancer Stakes.

Changeintheweather and Marsh Side are both by Champion sire Gone West who was put down at Mill Ridge Farm in Kentucky last September.  The Mr. Prospector stallion was 25 and his sire sons include Speightstown, Zafonic, Johar, Mr. Greeley and Elusive Quality.

The dams of Changeintheweather (Meteor Colony) and Marsh Side (Colonial Play) are full-sisters by Ribot line sire Pleasant Colony.  Another sister Pleasant Stage was a G1 winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in 1991.

Marsh Side won the Sky Classic by five lengths over 2000m on Woodbine’s turf course.  “All I had to do was get him out of the gate and then let him do his thing,” winning jockey Edgar Prado said.  “He’s an old pro and had a lot of fun out there.”

Trainer Neil Drysdale entered Marsh Side for the G1 Arlington Million last Saturday but elected to run at Woodbine the following day.  The winner will return to Canada for the G1 Northern Dancer Stakes on September 19.

Changeintheweather (USA) was a 2YO G1 winner of the Grey Breeders Cup at Woodbine.  Since retiring to stud, he has sired winners on all surfaces;  synthetic, dirt and turf – a consistent trait with Gone West sire sons, and a huge advantage with the emergence of synthetic tracks in Australia.

Changeintheweather will stand his first Australian season at a fee of $5,500.  For booking enquiries please contact Jeff Marlow on (07) 4934 1697.