A trio of Rich Hill Stud graduates will be vying for top honours in prestige events across two Australian states in the coming days.
Riodini and Albarado will be in action at Rosehill and Flemington respectively on Saturday while Surprise Baby will have a second crack at the G1 Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.
Riodini takes his place in the AU$7.5 million Golden Eagle off the back of a runner-up finish in the G2 Shannon Stakes and a third placing in the G1 Epsom Handicap.
“He’s from Proisir’s first crop and was bred by Alan Galbraith, who remains in the ownership, and he’s a share-holder in Rich Hill so it’s exciting for all concerned,” Rich Hill’s John Thompson said.
Prepared by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Riodini is out of Giardini who is a half-sister to the G2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas winner Sir Andrew.
Riodini is from the first crop of farm resident Proisir who has quickly established himself as one of the up and coming sires in New Zealand. He will be bidding to add to the stallion’s progeny record which was added to last weekend with Vitesse Bo’s stylish victory in the G3 War Decree Stakes. The Ben Foote-trained filly is now on the fourth line of betting for next month’s G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas.
Following his courageous victory in the G3 Norman Robinson Stakes, the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Albarado is prominent in the market for the G1 VRC Derby.
“Peter Smith bred the colt and we sold him at Karaka on his behalf,” Thompson said.
Albarado was knocked down to Busuttin Racing for $140,000 and is a son of the dual Group Three winner O’Fille and the family of the G1 Wellington Cup winner Willy Smith.
Rich Hill home-bred Surprise Baby is shaping as a major chance in this year’s Melbourne Cup after his unlucky fifth 12 months ago. His trainer Paul Preusker has by design only stepped his son of Shocking out twice since then with a sole focus on winning this year’s Cup.
He was runner-up when resuming in the G2 Feehan Stakes and while then unplaced in the G1 Turnbull Stakes, he was only a touch over two lengths off the winner after an interrupted run home.
“We had a great result in the Cup with the Rich Hill-bred Prince Of Penzance winning in 2015 so we’re looking forward to Surprise Baby running on Tuesday and, hopefully, a top result for Shocking,” Thompson said.
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