Rubiton was one of the great success stories of the Victorian breeding scene while based at Blue Gum Farm.  He died in November 2005 but reached 500 individual winners worldwide when the Nigel Blackiston trained mare Sweet Miss Ruby was successful in the TAB Sunday BIG6 Maiden Plate at Cranbourne on Sunday.

Rubiton’s total includes 40 stakes winners and there may be more black-type in the wings if last Saturday’s Moonee Valley winner Rue Maple continues to improve.  She is from Rubiton’s last crop and is rated very highly by trainer Darren Weir.  

Rue Maple (3f Rubiton – Maple Rose by Canadian Silver) won the Triforce Handicap (1200m) despite a hiccup or two leading into the race.  “We were lucky to get her here,” Weir said at Moonee Valley.  “There were a few issues with her feet after she lost a shoe.  It was a great team effort to get her right for the race.”

Weir was tempted to keep the Rubiton filly in training for the Listed Dermody Stakes in Adelaide next week but has opted to send her to the paddock.  “I have a good opinion of her,” he said.  “Hopefully, after a little break, she will come back even better.”

The Triforce Handicap was Rue Maple’s second win in a row on the StrathAyr.  She broke her maiden on debut at Swan Hill this time last year prior to winning her first race in town at Sandown.

Bred by Manningtree Park, Rue Maple is raced by Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock manager Darren Dance and Saturday’s prizemoney boosted her bank to $166,000.  She is the last foal for Maple Rose who died shortly after foaling her in August 2006.

Those 500 winners have totalled 1791 wins and their winning strike rate is a sensational 67.7%.  His 40 stakes winners have accumulated 105 black-type wins.  

Rubiton’s Australian-based progeny have earned over $42.39 million and that doesn’t include prizemoney from as far afield as South Korea, Macau, New Zealand, South Africa, Singapore, Dubai and Zimbabwe.  His millionaires include Cox Plate hero Fields Of Omagh, Flavour, Adam, Rubitano, Monopolize, Dilly Dally and Patezza.

Sons of Rubiton haven’t distinguished themselves at stud but his daughters have produced stallions the calibre of Swettenham Stud’s winner-getter Dash For Cash and up-and-coming sires God’s Own (Eliza Park), Due Sasso (Mungrup Stud), Danerich (Rangal Park) and Incumbent (Grenville Stud).

Blue Gum Farm has added Turffontein (Johannesburg) to its Euroa roster this year.  He was a G1 winner of the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield and the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley.

Blue Gum is also home to Elvstroem, Churchill Downs and Atronomer Royal.  They can be inspected at the Blue Gum stallion parade on September 12.