Glen Eden Stud is excited to announce that proven Redoute's Choice sire Al Samer will continue his stud career at their Moranding based property this spring.
He will stand at the burgeoning central Victorian stallion operation alongside Group 1 winner Bon Aurum, European stayer Illustrious Blue and Italian Champion Scintillo.
"It is an honour to have Al Samer at Glen Eden Stud, as being a consistent producer of stakes horses, I look forward to giving mare owners the opportunity to again breed to his unique bloodlines in Victoria," Glen Eden owner Sonia O'Gorman said.
"He can produce stakes-winning two-year-olds that will train on to show their best at three and with handpicked mares he will continue to produce quality racehorses that get the results on the track.
"Since he arrived on the farm he has been on his best behaviour, a very relaxed stallion to have around, and a real gentleman."
That is a sentiment shared by Al Samer's former handler Barry Faulds.
Faulds, who was stallion manager at Emirates Park in Diggers Rest when Al Samer stood there, remembers the popular stallion as a true professional in the breeding barn.
"He was always great to handle, walking quietly down to the breeding barn when it was his turn to serve. He had high fertility, he knew his job, and was a straightforward cover," Faulds said.
"He stamped his progeny in the mould of himself, not too big or heavy, but strong foals, that were nice and correct with good bone. They were lovely neat packages."
On the track, Al Samer raced in the very best of company throughout his two-year-old season, scoring an impressive victory in the Group 3 Black Opal Stakes over 1200 metres, romping home by three lengths.
At his first start as a three-year-old, he was successful in the Listed Darby Munro Stakes, another strong indicator of his considerable ability.
Raced by His Excellency Nasser Lootah, Al Samer was prematurely retired due to injury after only seven career starts that yielded two wins, one second and three thirds for prize money of $275,000. The only time he finished out of a place was a gallant ninth in the ultra-competitive 2005 Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes.
A son of Champion stallion Redoute's Choice, he is out of the US-bred mare My Lady's Key, a direct descendent of Spring Adieu, the grand-dam of the late world champion stallion, Danehill.
A proven producer in the breeding barn, Al Samer has sired four stakes winners, and with 161 winners from 279 progeny to race, he holds an impressive 57% winning strike rate to date.
His four stakes winners include Mr Chard (winner of the Group 3 VRC Carbine Club Stakes) & Le Remas (winner of the Listed MRC John Dillion Stakes) in his first crop. Other black-type winners have been Underestimation (winner of Listed St Albans Stakes and Listed VRC Anzac Day Stakes), along with the Listed Mornington Cup winner Berisha.
Al Samer's progeny have also included Hong Kong-winners Tour De Force (seven wins and AU$1.4 million in prize money), Keen Tactics, Spicy Sam, Haymaker and Eastern Promise.
Al Samer will stand for $2,200 (GST incl) this season at Glen Eden Stud. For more information, contact Sonia O'Gorman on 0407 811 411 or visitwww.gleneden.com.au