Oaklands Stud freshman Break The Vault sired his first Australian winner when Been Broke Before scored by five lengths at Atherton on Sunday.  The gelding was runner-up in Townsville on debut on April 1 and he was geared up for a dominant victory on Anzac Day.

Been Broke Before (2g Break The Vault – Auchtric by Antic Boy) is from NZ bred mare Auchtric who was a Listed winner of the Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes at Riccarton.  Her previous four winners were all bred in New Zealand and included Doomben winner Trictaat (Faltaat).

Break The Vault is the latest son of Redoute’s Choice to open his winning account as a sire.  He also has a strong, commercial pedigree on the dam side being a half brother to Zabeel!

Bred by Arrowfield Stud and John Singleton, he was raced in partnership by Melbourne businessmen Tony Pistikakis and Gerard Peterson.  He won a Kembla Grange maiden on debut and progressed to win 4 races from 8 starts before a tendon injury curtailed his career.

After winning at Randwick in October 2005, trainer John Hawke sent him to Melbourne where he was beaten by subsequent G1 winner Zipping in the Listed H.K.J.C. Plate.

“John had an enormous opinion of Break The Vault and we were confident of winning a Group 1 race with him,” Pistikakis said.   “He was the sort of horse who was learning all the time and, when Zipping beat him on Melbourne Cup day, you could see it was just inexperience that prevented him from winning.”

Been Broke Before was a $14,000 buy for owner Brian Beven when he was offered as a yearling by Robyn Wise (as agent) at the Gold Coast Magic Milions.

Break The Vault stood for a $6,600 (inc gst) service fee at Oaklands Stud in 2009.