Heads up for Hussonet at Flemington

Hussonet added another notch to his black-type tally when At The Heads was successful in the LR Chester Manifold Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.

At The Heads (5h Hussonet – The Quarewan by Supremo) scored a convincing victory over Darley sprinter Pied A Terre (Ad Valorem) who was going for his fourth win in as many starts.

Hussonet (USA) is the most dominant active sire son of Mr. Prospector and he stands at Cornerstone Stud in association with Arrowfield.  He came close to a feature double on Saturday with Happy Hussy who was placed in the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas.

At The Heads was bred in New Zealand by Des Hawkins and was a $130,000 buy at the 2008 NZ Bloodstock Karaka yearlings ale.  He’s raced in partnership by trainer Danny O’Brien with Bruce Mathieson and has now earned over $305,000.

Wentwood Grange will offer a High Chaparral half-brother to At The Heads at this year’s NZB Karaka Premier Sale (Lot 495).  Their dam The Quarewan is a half-sister to Randwick stakes winner Hy Fuji who is a daughter of former Arrowfield shuttler Fuji Kiseki.

Hussonet has maintained an amazing 69% winning strike-rate since being imported to Australia by Arrowfield chairman John Messara in 2003.  His first crop was headed by Horse of the Year Weekend Hussler.

He has now sired 77 stakes winners worldwide with 15 of them in Australia and NZ.  And his first-season sire-sons Husson (Patinack), Host (Swettenham) and Husson Lightning (Heytesbury) have all hit the ground running with first crop winners this season.

Hussonet is also currently in the Top 10 on the Australian winners’ premiership for 2011-12.

90  Commands
82  Redoute’s Choice
74  Testa Rossa
74  Sequalo
68  Bel Esprit

67  Encosta de Lago
67  Fastnet Rock
66  Exceed and Excel
60  Hussonet
59  Lonhro