Swiss Exile kicks off Pariah's progeny record in style

Cover image courtesy of Michael McInally

There are stallions who start off in a blaze of glory, no better example in recent history than Danehill (USA) whose debut crop yielded five Group 1 winners including Danzero, the first of his five G1 Golden Slipper S. winners.

What is truly remarkable about that instant success for Danehill is that it came from such limited opportunities. In this era of big books it is hard to imagine that he kicked off with a representation of just 46 live foals.

Looking back Arrowfield Stud's John Messara recognises Danehill for what he was, that one-in-a-million horse - "very, very few horses start out like he did, he was abnormal really."

And fortunately for Arrowfield they struck another quick high-achiever in Danehill's son Redoute's Choice, Messara appreciating that he too was one out of the box.

Which is why he does not expect every stallion to hit the ground running, noting that whilst Snitzel and Not A Single Doubt are Redoute's Choice's most successful sire sons, neither put their name in lights from the onset.

Those sort of horses, Messara says, are much more the norm.

Which is why he is more than happy with the start made by Pariah who on Saturday was represented by his first stakes winner, Swiss Exile still green but too good taking out the G2 Champagne Classic.

Familiar start to stud

Swiss Exile is amongst Pariah's first 17 runners, another two of whom are winners (Latvian looking the goods leading throughout to record an easy Moonee Valley win at his second outing) with another - Runaway Belle - stakes placed.

This is the sort of steady start that has Messara optimistic, noting that there are comparisons between Pariah's beginnings and those made by Snitzel and Not A Single Doubt.

At this stage of his career Snitzel had been represented by 24 runners, eight being winners with the best of those being the G2 Silver Slipper S. winner Chance Bye and the stakes-placed Jypsiere.

Not A Single Doubt had nine winners from 28 runners with his sole black-type performer being the stakes-placed Regal Flame.

And so Pariah has done a similar early job to Snitzel and a better one than Not A Single Doubt, from less runners.

"It is still early days," Messara - who is not prone to getting carried away - said, "But the early signs were there with his yearlings selling well. And we were hearing good things from breakers and trainers and we are still being told by people that they have a nice one."

Whilst recognising that chasing the juvenile dollar is a big part of success in Australia, Messara is a fan of horses whose progeny continue to excel and he is convinced that despite the success of the Danehill-line's 2-year-olds that they are actually better at three and beyond.

"I think it is their class that gets them winning those early races but I really think we see the best of them at three."

"You just have to look at Danehill, he was starting off with Slipper winners but then he was getting those Oaks, Derby and Cox Plate horses."

Messara is looking forward to more of the Pariah breed hitting the track - "We like to see what happens as the sample size increases. We are typically patient with young stallions, we don't like to make quick resolutions.

"Pariah has not had a lot of runners yet but if he can get one good one he can get more. He needs a few more but it will happen."

Homecoming for Pariah

Retaining part ownership of Pariah after he was purchased for $700,000 by James Harron at the 2016 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Arrowfield bred him with Planette Thoroughbreds, David Paradice and Favretto Bloodstock.

Standing a horse carrying their own brand is always special for a stud, all the more so in Pariah's case with his damsire Hussonet (USA) another Arrowfield success story.

"He came to us slightly later in life but he did a good job siring an Australian Horse of the Year (Weekend Hussler) and now he is proving to be a lovely influence."

Taking on some smart ones at debut in the G3 Canonbury S., the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Pariah sustained a long run to defeat the odds-on favourite Menari by 1l with Peter Snowden telling the press that, "He has been a really nice horse from day one, he just has good ‘smarts’ about him."

Next up a beaten favourite in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude, Pariah got back from a tricky gate but was strong to the line - his run eye-catching enough to justify G1 Blue Diamond S. favouritism. He again drew wide in that race, having to do a bit of work but he was nabbed only late.

The Heavy conditions prevailing on G1 Golden Slipper day put paid to his chances in that race but he was able to kick off his next campaign with a G3 San Domenico S. victory with Blake Shinn reporting that, "We have always had the belief that he was a top-liner and we really thought he had made nice progression to his 3-year-old year."

At his next outing splitting Menari and Perast (Snitzel) in the G2 Run To The Rose, Pariah did not have a great deal of luck at subsequent outings and he retired to the place of his birth as a two-time winner and three-times runner-up from just nine starts.

Blueblood pedigree

The 33rd son of Redoute's Choice to sire a stakes winner, Pariah hails from one of Australia's favourite families with his fourth dam being the wonderful Summoned (Crowned Prince {USA}).

All 16 foals produced by that remarkable broodmare made it to the track, 13 being winners including the multiple Group 1-winning sprinter Zeditave (The Judge) and the Group 3 winners Alannon (Noalcoholic {Fr}), Zedagal (The Judge), Square Deal (The Judge) and Pariah's third dam Pampas Fire (Prince True {USA}).

What a family this is, Pariah able to boast amongst his relations the Group 1 winners Greys Inn (USA) (sire in South Africa of three Group 1 winners), Smart Call (SAf) (Ideal World {USA}), Melito (Redoute's Choice) and Norzita (NZ) (Thorn Park).