Thursday marked 12 months since Arrowfield confirmed that Redoute's Choice had to be humanely euthanised at age 22 after suffering a traumatic loss of mobility. It was an event which prompted tributes to flow for the stallion from across the world and gave a moment for reflection on the way he has shaped breeding and racing in this part of the world in particular.
But while the stallion himself may have gone, his sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters and so on continue to build the legacy, enshrining his reputation further.
The success of his own progeny has continued to flow with 116 winners globally in that 12-month period, including 13 stakes winners, among them the Group 1 winning trio Loire (NZ), Alabama Express and Danceteria (Fr).
His departure put an even greater premium on his remaining progeny and in the immediate aftermath of his death, the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale saw the 16 yearlings from that crop average $430,625, which included two million-dollar-plus results.
Nine of his penultimate crop sold at Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and averaged an even more impressive $451,428, including a top-price of $1.1 million, his 14th yearling to sell in seven figures on the Gold Coast, and his 82nd overall.
Redoute's Choice x Gresset (colt) sold for $1.1 million at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
His influence of course extends further down the generations. He is well-positioned to claim his second consecutive title as Australia Champion Broodmare Sire, with his daughters having produced 374 winners, including 26 stakes winners globally since his death.
Among those horses to have the legendary Arrowfield stallion as their maternal grandsire are Group 1 winning quartet Regal Power (Pierro), Flit (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}), Super Seth (Dundeel {NZ}) and Trekking (Street Cry {Ire}).
The top priced yearling of the 2020 season so far, the Deep Impact (Jpn) colt purchased by Ottavio and Wendy Galletta on the Gold Coast for $1.9 million was out of Redoute's Choice's daughter Honesty Prevails, one of two million-dollar yearlings to feature him as a damsire.
Deep Impact (Jpn) x Honesty Prevails (colt) sold for $1.9 million at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Sire sons still dominant
He is of course a highly influential sire of sires, with his most successful son Snitzel now having won three-straight Australian Sires Premierships. He has 28 sons currently standing in Australia and a there are a further 33 who feature him in some part of their pedigree.
"He has 28 sons currently standing in Australia and a there are a further 33 who feature him in some part of their pedigree." - Bren O'Brien
His sire sons have now produced over 5000 winners, including 311 stakes winners. Group 1 winners by his sons in the 12 months since his death include Farnan (Not A Single Doubt), Qafila (Not A Single Doubt), Scales Of Justice (Not A Single Doubt), Samadoubt (Not A Single Doubt), Kenedna (Not A Single Doubt), I Am Excited (Snitzel) and The Mitigator (Master Of Design).
His grandsons are also making quite the impression as well, siring almost 300 winners to date, 11 of them stakes winners including Mr Quickie (Shamus Award), who won the G1 Queensland Derby.
Redoute's Choice's most successful son Snitzel has now won three-straight Australian Sires Premierships
A Choice Slipper trifecta
Redoute's Choice's ongoing impact on Australia's top races could be seen in last week's G1 Golden Slipper S., where he had two of his sons, Prague and King's Legacy, engaged as well as two horses by his sons, one out of one of his daughters and one sired by his grandson.
Remarkably, he would feature in the pedigrees of the first three horses across the line. As mentioned earlier, the winner Farnan was by his son Not A Single Doubt, second placed Away Game was by another son in Snitzel, while Mamaragan was by his grandson, and Snitzel's son, Wandjina.
Redoute's Choice featured in the pedigrees of the first three horses across the line in last week's G1 Golden Slipper S.
Indeed with every racetrack success, his legacy in the breeding barn will continue to be enhanced. G1 CF Orr S. winner Alabama Express is set to stand at Yulong in Victoria, Farnan looks a readymade stallion for his part owners at Aquis, while G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Super Seth, who is out of a Redoute's Choice mare, has been secured by Waikato Stud.
The desirability for his elite bloodlines has never been as strong and the 27 foals born last spring, his final crop, will be sought at a premium when they reach the yearling sales in 2021.
Even after that point, while the years may pass, Redoute's Choice's legacy shows no sign of dimming.
Gallery: Redoute's Choice's legacy shows no sign of dimming
