Darley stallion Country Reel sired his first stakes winner when Go Country landed the Listed Junioren Preis at Düsseldorf on Sunday.   He was a maiden winner at Dresden in August for trainer Peter Schiergen.

Go Country (2c Country Reel – Gerone by Saumarez) is a half-brother to this year’s Saint-Cloud winner Sundown (Singspiel).   He was initially pin-hooked as a foal for 17,000 euros (AUD 28,420) at the Arqana December sale in 2007 and was resold at the German yearling sale in 2008 for 64,000 euros (AUD 108,330).

Country Reel (Danzig) was a G2 winner of the Gimcrack Stakes and is a three-quarter brother to Anabaa.  He stands under the Darley banner at Haras du Logis in France after shuttling to Australia in 2005 and ’06.  Go Country is one of five winners from his first northern hemisphere crop.

Country Reel’s oldest Australian bred progeny are new-season three year-olds.  He has been represented by 11 starters for three winners including the Paul Murray trained filly Phenomenal Lass who was also runner-up to Delago Bolt in the Listed Black Opal Stakes earlier this year.

Phenomenal Lass accompanied stablemate Predatory Pricer to Melbourne for the spring carnival but her immediate future is under a cloud after she faded badly in the race won by Castagnola at Ballarat on Sunday.