Extreme Choice’s half brother, Kingwell, to stand for $5,500 at Riverbank Farm

Cover image courtesy of Riverbank Farm

Nestled on the banks of the Broken River in Benalla, Victoria, lies the picturesque Riverbank Farm. Owned and managed by Russell and Caroline Osborne, Riverbank stands six stallions who may not have set the world alight on the track, but carry elite bloodlines that offer breeders the chance to access top-class pedigrees at modest fees - including a son of Black Caviar (Bel Esprit), and half-siblings to Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) and Extreme Choice.

Kingwell brings Extreme blood to the table

A $550,000 yearling purchase from the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Mick Price Racing, Kingwell is by three-time Champion Australian Sire I Am Invincible, who has now sired 17 Group 1 winners and 118 stakes winners. Just as tantalising is that he is a half-brother to one of Australia’s most in-demand and influential stallions, Extreme Choice.

I Am Invincible’s influence as a sire of sires is already well established, with Brazen Beau, Hellbent, and Overshare all siring Group 1 winners, while Home Affairs has been a sales-ring sensation this year siring two yearlings that have sold over $3 million.

With Extreme Choice standing for a staggering $330,000 in 2025 - the highest service fee in the country, and I Am Invincible at $220,000 (inc GST), Kingwell’s $5500 (inc GST) fee shapes as value.

Although lightly raced due to injury, Kingwell showed his class with top-four finishes in seven of nine career starts.

“Russell (Osborne) purchased him online, when he saw his pedigree, he thought Kingwell was perfect for Riverbank,” Osborne said. “We planned to race him, but had to retire him early due to injury. It was just one of those things, but the long-term plan was always to stand him at stud.

“He just fits our roster - he’s the sort of stallion we’re looking for. We target the breed-to-race market, and he offers real value. We’re pretty excited about him.”

Dalasan progeny set to make an impact

Tough, versatile, and high-class on the track, Dalasan will cover his third book of mares in 2025 and has already served 130 in his first two seasons.

A winner from two to six, Dalasan won his first two starts as a juvenile and then he was placed in the G2 Sires' Produce Stakes at Flemington, he then won an incredible five stakes races as a 3-year-old from 1200 metres to 2035 metres, as well as a Group 1 placing in a Derby over 2500 metres. He then placed in the G1 Doncaster Handicap and G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at four, and ran third in the G1 Epsom Handicap at five before claiming a Listed win as a 6-year-old.

“We’re really excited by Dalasan, his foals are very much like him: leggy, athletic, and stamped with his quality,” Osborne said. “I love it when a stallion stamps his stock.”

By Dalakhani (Ire), a G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner and renowned sire of stayers - Dalasan is out of a Kitten’s Joy (USA) mare and that stallion traces from the Sadler’s Wells (USA) line, suggesting his progeny will not only train on but excel over ground.

“I think he’ll be versatile, he could throw anything,” Osborne added. “He’s settled in well. Good racehorses are usually very professional, and he’s no different. He’s a very intelligent horse, and just lovely to be around.”

Dalasan stands at an unchanged fee of $5500 (inc GST) and represents tremendous value for the quality of horse he was, and the pedigree he has.

Black Caviar’s son and Winx’s brother fly the flag

Riverbank Stud boasts not one but two remarkable pedigree standouts: the only son of Black Caviar at stud, and a half-sibling to Winx.

Prince Of Caviar, by Sebring out of the undefeated world champion Black Caviar, has made a bright start from limited runners. His best so far is Attachments, a progressive filly trained by Archie Alexander and winner of her last two starts. Bred and raced by Neil Werrett, also Black Caviar’s part-owner, Attachments looks to have stakes potential. Prince Of Caviar stands at an unchanged $4400 (inc GST).

Meanwhile, Boulder City, a half-brother to champion mare Winx, is also getting results. He has sired multiple Moonee Valley winners such as Expeetee and Cobblestone Way, as well as prolific winners like Pacific Star who has won seven times and the six-time winner Pretty Penguin.

Gallery: Riverbank Farm stallions with big pedigrees. Images courtesy of Riverbank Farm

“He sired three winners over the weekend, so that was very exciting,” Osborne said. Boulder City also stands at $4400 (inc GST).

More value options – Ideal for breed-to-race

Riverbank’s stallion line-up also includes a pair of proven and value sires ideal for the breed-to-race market.

Wayed Zain, by High Chaparral (Ire) and from the family of Encosta De Lago, has produced multiple winners from limited opportunities, including Gargantuan, Steve’s Way, and Rockin’ Zain.

Reliable veteran Redente, by Redoute’s Choice, boasts nearly $10 million in progeny earnings. With 114 individual winners at a 52 per cent winners-to-runners strike rate, his stakes performers include Brenlyn’s Trooper and Our Redente. These two stallions stand at unchanged fees of $2200 and $3300 (inc GST), respectively.

Smart bloodlines, smarter value

“We have very high hopes for both Kingwell and Dalasan,” Osborne said, “while the other four are a great mix of the proven and the promising.

“Riverbank really does offer ‘bred-in-the-purple’ types. Each of our six sires is by a different Group 1-producing sire, and collectively, those sire lines account for over 730 stakes winners worldwide.

“Our goal has always been to offer well-credentialled stallions at affordable fees, and I think we’ve struck the perfect balance this spring.”

Riverbank also takes pride in offering breeders transparency and affordability.

“One thing we do include in our service fees is all the veterinary costs, it’s an important value-add. When you’re working at this end of the market, it really helps breeders budget with confidence.”

Table: Riverbank Farm stallion fees