Redoute’s’ remarkable influence on the Caulfield Guineas

Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy

If you’re a racing fan, the epic two-horse duel between Redoute’s Choice and Testa Rossa in the 1999 Caulfield Guineas will be forever etched in your memory.

And such was the calibre of the contest, even some non-racing folk will recall and appreciate the battle between two supreme equine athletes, who, not for the first time (or the last), squared off in a bid for Group 1 glory, as well as establishing a future as a leading stallion.

Watch: Redoute's Choice battling it out with Testa Rossa to win the 1999 Caulfield Guineas

Further adding to the occasion, Greg Miles’ call of the encounter was one for the ages.

“It’s Testa Rossa clear, though, Redoute’s Choice is coming again. Testa Rossa has to find. Redoute’s digs, he lunges and wins. Redoute’s Choice beat Testa Rossa, a magnificent Guineas,” Miles described.

A son of the legendary Danehill (USA), Redoute’s Choice won five of his 10 starts, with prizemoney totalling $1,567,850.

Redoute’s Choice was retired to stud following a third-placed effort in the G1 Futurity S. of 2000.

Five years later, God’s Own – a lightly raced colt trained by the late, great Bart Cummings – emulated the deeds of his old man, overcoming significant interference to become a Caulfield Guineas champion.

“To do what he did was extraordinary,” said winning jockey Glen Boss.

“There was interference at the start and he got knocked over, and then in the straight just as I was letting down Stratum knocked him over and he nearly fell.

“But I knew all along he was going to win, he is one very special horse.”

Like his sire, God’s Own went onto a career at stud following his retirement. He has sired 248 individual winners and eight stakes winners.

Twelve years after God’s Own’s Guineas triumph, the Mick Price-trained Mighty Boss – a grandson of Redoute’s Choice – won the race at 100-1.

Sadly, Mighty Boss never got the opportunity to forge a career at stud, after succumbing to a colic attack in 2019.

The Autumn Sun became the second son of Redoute’s Choice to follow in his sire’s footsteps when he made his rivals look second-rate with a brilliant 4.5l win in 2018. That was his second consecutive Group 1 victory and third overall and the 3-year-old was being spruiked just like his father did.

Watch: The Autumn Sun blitzes the field to win the 2018 Caulfield Guineas by 6l

“I’m taking no credit for that, it ended up pear shaped but I was lucky enough to be on a superstar,” James McDonald, who rode the colt, said.

Trainer Chris Waller added: “He’s a very good horse and I don’t think he’s fully mature yet, maybe I’m wrong but I’ve had experience with some pretty smart colts and he is as good as it gets, he’s a superstar.”

Retired after a glittering nine-start career that yielded eight victories – five of them at the top level – The Autumn Sun stands at Arrowfield Stud and his first runners are 2-year-olds this season and are highly anticipated.

Twelve months after The Autumn Sun’s Guineas romp, Redoute’s Choice became a winning damsire of the race when Super Seth – a son of Dundeel (NZ) – sprouted wings to nail Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) on the line. Super Seth is out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Salutations, and like The Autumn Sun, he has generated enormous interest in his fledgling career at Waikato Stud.

And just last year, Redoute’s Choice further enhanced his legacy by becoming a two-time-winning damsire of the Guineas when Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}) overcame a wide run to overpower Captivant, handing the James Cummings-trained galloper his second win at the highest level. Anamoe is from the Group 1 -winning mare Anamato.

Already a five-time Group 1 winner, it’s doubtless Anamoe’s services will be highly sought after when he heads to the breeding barn.

Not done yet?

Sadly, Redoute’s Choice is longer with us, having died in March 2019 after sustaining a loss of mobility that could not be restored.

Arrowfield Stud Chairman John Messara lavished praise on Redoute’s Choice following his passing, saying: “He has given us so much, Arrowfield has been built on his back and he’s allowed all of us and many, many other people to fulfil our dreams and ambitions. His legacy to Australian breeding and racing is immense, through his sire sons, his broodmare daughters, his final crops still to come and all the people he touched over the past two decades.”

His hoofprints will still be all over this year’s edition of the Caulfield Guineas, however, with his name dotted through five of the 16 runners’ pedigrees in some form.

The Peter Moody-trained Millane (Zoustar) is from the Snitzel mare Fireworks. Snitzel, of course, is a top-performing son of Redoute’s Choice.

Bank Maur (Maurice {Jpn}) heads into the race after an impressive win at Sandown-Hillside last time out. He is out of the two-time winner Banksia, who is a daughter of Redoute’s Choice.

Redoute’s Choice is also the damsire of the Team Hawkes-trained Foujita San (Maurice {Jpn}), whose dam is Belle Giselle.

Meridius - a great-grandson of Redoute’s Choice – takes his place in the field after two encouraging runs this prep, where he has finished second on both occasions.

And Elkington Road (All Too Hard) will look to make it three wins from as many starts for trainer Michael Moroney. Like Millane, the gelding is from a Snitzel mare (Sherbet Bomb).

King of sires

Just like his sire, Redoute’s Choice left such an indelible mark on the thoroughbred breed.

Redoute’s Choice quite rightly earned himself the reputation as a champion sire of sires, and with an honour roll as long and impressive as his, it’s little wonder why.

Snitzel heads his list of 14 sire sons who have produced Group 1 winners. He has 18 Group 1s to his name. Others include Not A Single Doubt (16), Stratum (seven), Fast ‘N’ Famous (three), Rafeef (three), Burgundy (NZ) (two), Beneteau (two), Nadeem (one), Bradbury’s Luck (one), Duelled (one), Elzaam (one), Lucky Unicorn (one), Master Of Design (one) and Time Thief (one).

Redoute’s Choice is also the grandsire of more than 35 horses who have tasted victory at the highest level, and there’s every chance another relation will become a Group 1 winner on Saturday.