The outstanding 2009 crop of Redoute’s Choice produced its 20th stakeswinner on Saturday when talented mare La Amistad strode to a four-length victory in the $100,000 ATC W.J. McKell Cup 2400m LR.
The three-quarter sister to three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva is also the champion sire’s 115th career stakeswinner and his tenth Australian stakeswinner this season.
La Amistad (ex Tugela by Riverman) is raced by her breeder Tony Santic with Greg Ingham and Michael Sullivan and trained by the Hawkes Racing team which immediately fielded questions about the 4YO’s Melbourne Cup prospects.
John Hawkes said, “She could be a Melbourne Cup horse, but that’s a dream. She is not Makybe Diva but she is going to make her own way and we’ll see how far that is. It is a good win for these owners because they have been patient, and that takes you a long way.”
Jockey James McDonald said, “She is still a baby, but she just towed me into the race and, as you would expect, she is a stayer. She has time on her side and the breeding is there. She is something to look forward to.”
La Amistad now goes to the spelling paddock with prizemoney of more than $140,000 after winning five of her ten starts this season.
La Amistad’s family has made several visits to Arrowfield Stud since Makybe Diva arrived there as a weanling in March 2000. Tugela has also left Group 2 winner Musket and stakes-placed Shadowofexcellence to Redoute’s Choice, and her Group-winning daughter Valkyrie Diva is the dam of Wales, another stakes-winning member of Redoute’s Choice’s 2009 crop. Makybe Diva’s only daughter, La Dolce Diva (by Fusaichi Pegasus) is in foal to Not A Single Doubt.
Redoute’s Choice remains on top of the Australian General Sires’ table with $9.6 million prizemoney, about $460,000 ahead of his son Snitzel with earnings of just over $9.1 million.
