Trish Dunell Photography
Patience is paying dividends for supporters of the Westbury Stud-stallion Redwood, with the Group One-winning son of High Chaparral starting to hit his straps as a sire.
With his eldest progeny having just turned four, Redwood was represented by a trio of winners last weekend.
They included impressive Flemington winner Swampland, who has strung together three successive wins for Henry Dwyer. Meanwhile, progressive galloper Night’s Watch was a winner on Australian debut for Darren Weir, and talented stayer Suliman saluted at Pukekohe for Graham Richardson and Gavin Parker.
To continue the stallion’s hot streak, his promising son Dashper broke his maiden at Ruakaka on Wednesday at his second appearance for Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs.
Last season Redwood’s son Romancer became his first stakes winner when successful in the Listed Mufhasa Stakes, while Rising Red was bold in his runner-up performance to Gingernuts in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby, and High Mode placed in the Listed St Leger.
“For what he has done from his first crop, we are very excited about the future with him,” Westbury Stud General Manager Russell Warwick said.
“It’s nice for New Zealand to have another nice staying stallion coming through the ranks.”
“I think trainers are learning with Redwoods that if they show you something at two or three you are going to have a pretty handy horse on your hands,” Warwick said.
“A filly like Swampland is a prime example of that. She had one start at two and ran well and as a three-year-old she was very promising and had an injury. She has come back as a four-year-old and had very good form winning her last three starts.”
Trish Dunell Photography
Redwood himself was only lightly raced at two and three, before developing into a Group One-winning four-year-old.
“He only had one start at two and he won that over a mile,” Warwick said.
“He had two starts at three, winning one of those over nine furlongs (Listed Feilden Stakes) and then it was as a four-year-old that he came out to win a Group One.”
That win came in the Gr.1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes over 2400m at Woodbine. He also won the Gr.3 Glorious Stakes and placed in five other Group races, including the Gr.1 Hong Kong Vase.
He went on to cap off his career as a five-year-old with runner-up performances in the Gr.1 Dubai Sheema Classic and Gr.2 Princess of Wales’ Stakes.
“Redwood should have some good strong crops to follow on and I’d say the way he is going at the moment he is on target to cover his largest book this coming season,” Warwick said.
In a further boost for the stallion, Westbury Stud principal Gerry Harvey has decided to send his Group One winning mare Royal Descent to Redwood this season.
“It is obviously a huge boost for Redwood to have a mare like Royal Descent among his book this year. It is a very good mating on paper, and physically the mating should be very complementary,” Warwick said.
Redwood will stand at Westbury Stud’s Karaka property this season for a service fee of $10,000+GST. – NZ Racing Desk