The champagne was flowing at Rich Hill Stud on Tuesday afternoon with a Group 1 celebration to toast its major role in a history-making Melbourne Cup result.

Rich Hill graduate Prince Of Penzance (NZ) repelled the international challenge with his rider Michelle Payne becoming the first woman to win the Flemington feature.

Stud principal John Thompson said it was a dream result for the stud and his family, his staff, clients and supporters.  “The place just went berserk, it’s a huge thrill and not only for us but also for the New Zealand thoroughbred industry.”

Prince Of Penzance is the 13th individual Group 1 winner for Rich Hill’s foundation stallion Pentire who was bred at the Waikato farm in partnership with Shadai Stud’s Katsumi Yoshida.

“We established a breeding partnership with them when we Jungle Pocket came out here,” Thompson said.  “I went to Japan to look at a number of mares that came back to Rich Hill.

“When Jungle Pocket couldn’t come back here because of the EI (equine influenza) outbreak, I suggested to Mr Yoshida that Royal Successor should go to Pentire and he agreed.”

The resulting foal was Prince of Penzance who was subsequently put through Rich Hill’s 2011 Premier Sale draft at Karaka and he was knocked down for $50,000 to respected agent John Foote.

“Royal Successor is a Mr Prospector mare and we will be selling her brother to Prince Of Penzance at Karaka next year,” Thompson said.  “Darren (Weir) has always rated the horse and told me on many occasions that he was a Group 1 horse.”

PRINCE OF PENZANCE