Rios will become the first son of the Hussonet to stand in New Zealand with his retirement to Waikato Stud.  The Chittick family purchased a major interest in Rios last year with a stallion career in mind.  

“He’s got an outstanding pedigree and showed he had the performance to go with it,” Mark Chittick said.  “He’s a very good-looking horse with a wonderful temperament and was retired fully sound and we believe he’ll prove great value for money.”

Rios is by Hussonet who is the most dominant active sire son of breed-shaper Mr Prospector in Australasia.  He commenced his southern stud career at Arrowfield in 2004 and was straight out of the blocks with Horse of the Year Weekend Hussler.

Rios won six races from the Cambridge stable of Murray and Bjorn Baker and enjoyed a strong classic year starting with a first-up win at Hastings.  He added the Listed Bonecrusher Stakes and completed a hat-trick in the G2 Wellington Guineas at Trentham.  In the latter he defeated subsequent trans-Tasman G1 winner Alamosa.

Rios was also placed in the G1 NZ 2000 Guineas at Riccarton and G2 Tulloch Stakes at Rosehill.  He trained on as an older horse to win a further three races highlighted by a Listed victory in the Anzac Handicap at Awapuni.

Rios hails from an outstanding female family and is the first foal of current Broodmare of the Year Gussy Godiva (Last Tycoon).  Her second foal is G1 Australian Derby winner Roman Emperor.

Gussy Godiva is a half-sister Black Mamba who went to North America to win the G1 John Mabee Handicap and the G2 Beverley Hills Handicap (twice).

Rios was originally purchased for $65,000 at the 2006 NZB Karaka yearling sale.  He was bought by Stuart Hale and the Cambridge-based bloodstock agent will stand the rising six year-old in association with the Chitticks.  Rios will stand for a fee of $5,000 (+ gst).