After finishing 1-2-3 leading first-season sires last season with Extreme Choice, Capitalist, and Flying Artie, Newgate Farm is well on the way to adding another title this season with Russian Revolution.
Which is no great surprise, the son of Snitzel commanded a first season fee of $55,000, and he looked to tick every box.
A stunning individual, Russian Revolution was undefeated in two starts at two, a Group 1 winner of the ATC Galaxy at three and Group 1 MRC Oakleigh Plate at four.
He covered 226 mares in his first crop and 224 in his second.
After two seasons, his fee dropped to $44,000, reflecting a mixed response to his first crop at the sales. It is also far from unusual for a stallion to see a drop in demand in seasons three and four.
Ninety-five yearlings in Russian Revolution's first crop averaged $113,837. The median was $100,000, with a top price of $425,000.
It's indicative that they hit the ground running when his second crop of sixty-one to sell averaged $182,541. The median was $160,000 with a top price of $600,000.
Highgrove Stud consigned the equal fifth highest priced Russian Revolution from his first crop.
He is a colt named Czar who won on debut for Peter and Paul Snowden at Hawkesbury on April 5 and lines up for his second start in Saturday's Bert Byant Hcp at Caulfield.
It is interesting tracking this colt's progress from his first barrier trial at Randwick last October to the time of his fourth barrier trial at Rosehill in March when asked to get serious with the addition of blinkers.
There are some serious heavy hitters invested in this colt, a $300,000 buy for China Horse Club / Newgate Bloodstock at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
He is the first living foal of the Teofilo (IRE) mare Museo (GB), who Godolphin consigned to the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale. It was no surprise when Sheamus Mills/Highgrove Stud had the final say at €85,000.
Highgrove has enjoyed past success from this family. Then again, so has Godolphin, as Museo's stakes-placed half-sister Antiquities (Kaldounevees) is the dam of dual Group 1 winner Victor Ludorum (GB) (Shamardal), who has been added to the Darley Stud roster at Kelvinside this spring.
It is doubtful that Godolphin shed too many tears at the sale. Museo had been beaten a combined 60-lengths at her three starts at the French provincials.
Museo's stakes-winning dam Historian (Pennekamp) is a half-sister to Street Cry (IRE) and Helsinki, the dam of Shamradal (USA).
This is where Ron Gilbert's Highgrove Stud comes back in.
Highgrove purchased two daughters of Street Cry's half-sister Mount Helena (Danzig).
Through bloodstock agent Vin Cox, Highgrove purchased stakes-winner Tears I Cry (Chester House) for $735,000 at the 2009 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale
At the same sale two years later, they added Helena's Secret (Five Star Day) for $200,000.
Helena's Secret is the dam of Group II MVRC Australia Stakes winner Thronum (Snitzel) and this season's promising 2yo Cythera (I Am Invincible), who won the Listed Lonhro Plate and was third in the Group II Silver Slipper at her two starts to date.
Coincidently, Thronum will search for his first winner on Saturday when the Waterhouse/Bott-trained Gulf Of Lion opposes Czar.
