Riverdene Stud welcomed its incoming sire Strada with a very promising winner in Perth on Saturday.

The David Harrison trained Settle Strada is still a handful but could be the next star on the horizon for jockey Shaun O’Donnell.  “He’s big and strong and you’ve gotta stand over him,” O’Donnell said after the Westspeed 3YO Hcp (1200m) at Belmont.  “But he found the fence after sitting outside the leader and kept kicking like a nice horse.”

Settle Strada (3g Strada – Unsettled by Thunder Gulch) is a member of David Harrison’s team and his long-term program will mapped out after the Lark Hill trainer returns from a trip to Royal Ascot.  “He’s still new,” O’Donnell explained.  “Give him another six months he will get a good mile.”

O’Donnell is well-placed to judge a miler after winning the G1 Railway Stakes on Luckygray at Ascot last year.

Strada (Danehill) will stand his first season at Riverdene Stud this year.  Owner Dr Kevin Pendergast only announced the transfer from Widden to Wagga on Thursday.  A son of Danehill, he will stand for a $4,400 (inc gst) service fee.

Settle Strada has enough stamina in the bottom half of his pedigree to eventually get over ground.  There are several middle-distance stakes performers in the family going back to Palace Revolt (Dedicated Rullah) who won the 1989 Sydney Cup on a bottomless track.

Settle Strada had failed to make a $20,000 reserve at the 2010 Perth Magic Millions.  His dam Unsettled has a filly foal by Yarradale Stud sire Discorsi and she was bred back to him at last year.