Plutocrat's thrilling success in the Listed Tattersalls Club S. at Eagle Farm on Saturday was significant for a couple of different reasons related to her sire. Firstly, the Chris Anderson-trained filly is owned by Glenlogan Park, which stood the stallion for his first season before he moved to Woodside Park in Victoria.
Secondly, her win gives a black-type stamp to Rich Enuff's first crop, which has yielded six winners, one more than Written Tycoon did with his first crop in 2011.
Considering Rich Enuff's record aside from what his illustrious father achieved, Woodside Park Chief Executive James Price feels his first crop has surpassed expectations in what has been a very competitive season for freshman stallions.
"The expectation was that they were going to be back-end 2-year-olds into early 3-year-olds and that's exactly what we are seeing. We are seeing horses with great scope," Price said.
"To hit his first stakes winner at the back-end of his 2-year-old season, something that his own sire Written Tycoon couldn't do, is quite an achievement. If we look at that, and the fact he has had six individual winners, it's terrific and we are really happy for him to finish his first crop 2-year-old season like that and head into the spring with some momentum."
Plutocrat, a $110,000 purchase for Glenlogan Park from the Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale, very much fits that mould, in terms of her development. She boasts a strong pedigree, being from the extended family of Danewin, Commands and multiple Group 1 winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) and was her sire's first winner when victorious at Doomben back in February.
Plutocrat as a yearling
"We have been speaking to Steve Morley all the way along with this filly and he's always thought that she was going to be a really lovely 3-year-old. She's a really scopey, big striding filly and as Chris Anderson said, over a mile, he thinks she is going to be top class," Price said.
"To get that stakes winner on the board at 1400 metres as a 2-year-old, all bodes well for Rich Enuff."
"To get that stakes winner on the board at 1400 metres as a 2-year-old, all bodes well for Rich Enuff." - James Price
Price notes that Rich Enuff himself, while a triple stakes winner early in his 3-year-old season, was not a winner as a 2-year-old.
"If you compare his first crop to his own career at this stage, Rich Enuff hadn't won a race. He had one start in March, in which he was down the track and the then came back in the Mackenzie S. at Listed level at Moonee Valley as a 3-year-old and won that and went on to win the Danehill S. He didn't hit the headlines until he was a 3-year-old," he said.
Rich Enuff | Standing at Woodside Park Stud
Holding strong in competitive class
In terms of first-season sires, Rich Enuff currently sits seventh both in terms of prizemoney and winners, something which Price believes is a good achievement considering the depth of his freshman rivals this season.
"All first-season sires have different levels of expectation, and that's often guided by the service fee they first stand at and then by how they are perceived in the sales ring," Price said.
"All first-season sires have different levels of expectation, and that's often guided by the service fee they first stand at and then by how they are perceived in the sales ring." - James Price
"He stood at $13,750 (inc GST) in his first season, so the expectation on him was less than it would have been on the high profile stallions of the calibre of Vancouver and Pride Of Dubai.
"For him to be sitting seventh on the first-season sire for earnings and having a stakes winner, he has created a bit of momentum and probably exceeded people's expectations.
"He's Australia's leading active first-season sire, who is free of Danehill. Night Of Thunder has done a good job but he only came out here for one season, so Rich Enuff, as an outcross, is leading the way."
Comparing father and son
The majority of comparative stats from his first season favour him over his sire, with Rich Enuff having had 23 runners in total to date, eight more than Written Tycoon did to this point of the season nine years ago. He leads his sire with eight wins in total, compared to six, which include that that stakes winner for Rich Enuff.
Written Tycoon, sire of Rich Enuff | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
Written Tycoon's first crop progeny did win more prizemoney to this point thanks largely to his early flagbearer Masthead, who was placed in a G1 Blue Diamond S. and ran fourth in a G1 Golden Slipper S. He was one of two stakes-placed runners from that first crop, the other being Written Consent.
Having stood both stallions, Woodside Park is well-placed to assess the similarities and differences between the progeny of the pair.
"From what I have seen so far, Rich Enuff seems to throw a more consistent type," Price said.
"With Written Tycoon, you need to be a bit more careful of what mare you send to him. He loves those shorter, faster Redoute's Choice, Not A Single Doubt, Flying Spur-type mares, but he can get you a bigger horse that needs time.
James Price (middle)
"It seems like Rich Enuff's stock is a little more consistent at this time. That could be due to the way we have bred to them, and that we have been educated through his sire that he needs a more neat mare. But that seems to be a trait.
"They are consistent horses with good bone. They stand over ground and are athletic with good hindquarters. If a stallion can throw a sort, they are then attractive prospects in the sales ring."
Positivity flows to the breeding barn
Last season saw Rich Enuff attract his best book of mares in both quality and quantity, according to Price, and given Written Tycoon's move to Arrowfield Stud in the Hunter Valley ahead of the 2020 season, the young stallion gets significant clear air as the only son of Written Tycoon to stand in Victoria this season.
Price said while the current COVID-19 situation has caused some uncertainty in the market, the late -season success of Rich Enuff's first progeny, making him the only Victorian-based freshman sire to have produced a stakes winner this season, has certainly resonated.
Rich Enuff at Woodside Park Stud
"With yesterday's stakes win, it makes Rich Enuff Victoria's most exciting stallion prospect," he said.
"His fifth season bookings are going well. There is time now to assess his first crop, but he has made a good start and there has been that positive feel around him for 12 months or so.
"That stakes winner just keeps him in the spotlight of Victorian breeders, while he has been supported by New South Wales breeders, who sent mares to him last year and have seen him as a 'punt' horse. Hopefully, for them, that punt comes off."
