Three new stallions on the Arrowfield roster this spring and, not surprisingly, two are sons of the living legend Redoute's Choice.
The Arrowfield stalwart continues to exert an enormous influence on the breed with his Not A Single Doubt chasing Street Cry (IRE) all the way for champion sire, Snitzel chalking up a record number of two-year-old winners and Beneteau reminding us weekly what a tragic loss he was to the industry.
Scissor Kick and Panzer Division, combatants on the track while carrying the Arrowfield silks, retire to stud this spring alongside the Japanese star Real Impact (JPN).
REAL IMPACT (Deep Impact x Tokio Reality by Meadowlake)
A son of the Japanese phenomenon Deep Impact, Real Impact (Jpn) was a Group 1 winner in his homeland and Australia.
From just three starts at two, Real Impact won on debut at Tokyo and was second in the Group I Asahi Hai Futurity and Group II Keio Hai Nisai Stakes.
At three he became the first three-year-old to win the Group 1 Tokyo Yasuda Kinen over 1600 metres.
Real Impact arrived in Australia to contest the Championships.
His two Australian starts resulted in a first-up win in the Group 1 ATC George Ryder Stakes defeating Criterion before finishing a luckless second in the Group 1 ATC Doncaster while conceding giving 4kg to the winner Kermadec.
Before arriving in Australia for stud duties, Real Impact covered his
first book of mares at Shadai Stallion Station.
He will stand his first season at Arrowfield at a fee of $19,250 inc. GST
SCISSOR KICK (Redoute's Choice x Back Pass by Quest For Fame)
A top-class performer from an international successful family, the handsome Scissor Kick was paid a huge compliment when Nicolas de Chambure, General Manager of Haras d'Etreham, negotiated to stand the son of Redoute's Choice in France next year.
A winner at Canterbury from two starts at two, Scissor Kick flagged he was a major player in the spring at three winning the Listed ATC Rosebud Stakes before defeating Panzer Division and Shooting To Win in the Group III ATC Up and Coming Stakes.
Scissor Kick had a torrid run from an outside barrier in the Group 1 Golden Rose. Despite being caught four and five wide the trip, the Paul Messara-trained colt refused to yield for a courageous second to Hallowed Crown.
In the autumn, Scissor Kick won the Group III ATC Eskimo Prince Stakes with subsequent Group 1 winners Delectation and Kermadec among the beaten brigade.
He took on the crème de la crème in the Group 1 ATC All Aged Stakes finishing an honourable fourth behind Dissident, Wandjina and Chautauqua.
A brother to the Listed stakes-winner Sharkbite, Scissor Kick is out of the winning Quest For Fame mare Back Pass (USA), a half-sister to Champion 2yo colt Three Valleys out of the stakes-placed Skiable herself a half-sister to Broodmare Of The Year Hasili the dam of Banks Hill, Cacique, Champs Elysees, Intercontinental and Dansili, who are all by Danehill.
Scissor Kick will stand his first season at a fee of $16,500 inc. GST
PANZER DIVISION (Redoute's Choice-Desert Fight by Hussonet)
Already letting down into an imposing specimen, Panzer Division was a veteran of just seven race starts.
Winner of his only start at two, Panzer Division was edged out by stablemate Scissor Kick in the Group III Up And Coming Stakes at his first start at three.
He franked that form by defeating Shooting To Win in the Group III Ming Dynasty Quality.
He continued to race with distinction without winning most notably his fifth in the Group 1 weight-for-age ATC George Main Stakes to Sacred Falls and Royal Descent.
His trainer Paul Messara described Panzer Division as "close to the perfect thoroughbred horse on conformation and presence, he's a stunning individual. He also had a huge amount of ability and we had high aspirations for him, but his career was cut short by injury in the Hobartville Stakes."
Out of the Hussonet (USA) mare Desert Flight (CHI) a dual Group 1 winner in Chile where she was honoured as the nation's Champion 2yo Filly, Panzer Division is a brother to the promising Group II winning filly Kebede.
Panzer Division will stand his first season for a fee of $9,900 inc. GST.