Chatswood Stud’s roster for the 2011 breeding season has been buoyed by promising winners in both hemispheres this week.
High-profile shuttler Amadeus Wolf has a very promising first crop youngster in England and Niello sired a spring carnival prospect at Sandown.
Amadeus Wolf (Mozart) served his initial Victorian book at Chatswood last spring and was then installed favourite to top the British freshman premiership in 2011. He’s based at the Irish National Stud and is off to a flyer with two winners and five placegetters already this year.
Hamza opened his account at Musselburgh last month and Amadeus Denton doubled up at Doncaster on Saturday night.
Amadeus Denton (2g Amadeus Wolf – Wood Sorrel by Woodman) started an odds-on favourite after a desperately unlucky second to Profile Star at Thirsk on April 30. The winner carried him right across the course in the final furlong but, in a decision that would have baffled our stewards, the result was allowed to stand by local officials.
With the benefit of that outing, Amadeus Denton won second-up despite being headed at the furlong. And trainer Michael Dods expects him to keep improving over further ground as the year progresses.
Amadeus Denton is from an unraced half-sister to Relais D’Aumale (Rainbow Quest) who was a Listed French winner over 1600m prior to a G1 fourth in the 2005 Italian Oaks at 2200m.
Chatswood studmaster Greg Willis was otherwise engaged at the Inglis Great Southern Sale at Oaklands on Wednesday when Niello filly Sweet Ella powered home across town at Sandown.
Niello needs a good horse to kick-start his stud career and the anointed one could well be the Greg Eurell trained filly.
Sweet Ella (2f Niello – Sweet Mariah by Almaarad) overpowered her rivals on Heavy 9 going to score by over three lengths in the Clamms Seafood Hcp (1300m).. The filly had won on debut at Cranbourne and went right on with the job second time out.
“I’m pretty happy with her, ” Eurell said. “She only does what she has to at trackwork but has a very competitive nature on race day.”
Sweet Ella is raced by owner-breeder Sandy Letten who lives in Queensland but has a property at Digger’s Rest just out of Melbourne. The filly is a half-sister to Listed Tasmanian Newmarket Handicap winner Phantomofthenight (Fraar).
“I told Sandy we better put her away and look for something better in the spring,” Eurell said. “She’s a nice sized filly and has the scope to run a mile.”
El Magico doubled up for Niello at Balaklava on Wednesday. The Lloyd Kennewell trained youngster also scored by three lengths and change in the Birnie Sanders HTL Brokers Maiden (1000m).
El Magico (2g Niello – Swiss Vault by Secret Savings) hadn’t been seen at the trials but started a $2 favourite on debut. His dam was an extra smart Adelaide sprinter and she also ran a G3 third in the 2006 R N Irwin Stakes behind Leone Chiara and Shablec. Fourth home was Bomber Bill.
Sweet Ella and El Magico join Sparks Burn and Not Doubtful among Niello’s two year-old winners this season. Sparks Burn also earned black-type when placed behind Golden Archer in the LR St Albans Stakes at Moonee Valley.
Niello retired to Chatswood Stud after a career that garnered G1 victories in the 2003 AJC Spring Champion Stakes and the 2004 STC Canterbury – Rosehill Guineas double. He is a brother to Darley high-flyer Lonhro and stood for an $8,800 fee last year.
Chatswood Stud has added G1 winning sprinter Reward For Effort (Exceed And Excel) to its roster for 2011.