Highland Reel was an appropriate horse to send to Australia to try and win the
Cox Plate in 2015 which he ran 3rd to Winx after he had won the 2000m
Secretariat Stakes Gr 1 at Arlington in America.Following the Cox Plate straight after that race Highland Reel flew to Hong Kong to win the 2015 Vase and just recently won the Group I Breeders Cup Turf at Santa Anita.
His dam Hveger is a member of one of Australia's sensational families, her best efforts included 3rd in the G1 Schweppes Oaks and a second, nine days later, in the G1 South Australian Oaks.
However Hveger's year-older brother Elvstroem was even better.
The most successful Danehill son of all times, a Group 1 winner at the ages of three, four and five, Elvstroem was good enough–and versatile enough–to win the C.F. Orr S. over 1400m, the Underwood S. 1800m and both the Victoria Derby and Caulfield Cup.
As you might know from the records of Hveger and Elvstroem, they are out of a
mare called Circles of Gold, who recently died last week aged 24, she won the
G1 AJC Australian Oaks and was also runner-up in Caulfield Cup. Highland Reel's
family is of true international standard, as Hveger is also a half-sister to
Haradasun, an Australian champion who travelled to Royal Ascot to win the G1
Queen Anne S.This female line also enjoyed Group 1 Royal Ascot success with another Australian champion when Starspangledbanner won the Golden Jubilee Stakes and is now a successful sire.
Central Queensland sire Altius comes from this illustrious family being by champion sire Redoute's Choice from Circles of Gold and is the last of her sons at stud in Australia with both Elvstroem and Haradasun now standing in France and New Zealand respectively.
Now in his third season at stud, Altius stands at Riverside Stud, Alton Downs.
