Thank Goodness for High Chaparral

Mark Smith - Friday October 19

As the sire of Australia's two main hopes in the Caulfield Cup, Ace High and Youngstar, and the sire of the sire of the kiwi-bred Night's Watch, High Chaparral (IRE) has left a vacuum that will be hard to replace.

There is a common thread in the three Caulfield Cup hopes.

Group 1 Victoria Derby and Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes hero Ace High is out of a daughter of Danehill's masterpiece, Redoute's Choice, Group 1 Queensland Oaks winner Youngstar is out of an imported Danehill mare and Group III Naturalism Stakes winner Night's Watch, who is by High Chaparral's imported son Redwood (GB), is out of a mare by Danehill's speed influence Exceed And Excel.



Other Group 1 winners out of Danehill line mares include Cornerstone Stud's Prince of Wales's Stakes winner Free Eagle (IRE), Waikato Stud's stunning Tivaci, and the Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes winner Charmont.

Not surprisingly High Chaparral's peerless So You Think is clicking with Danehill line mares.

Rosehill Guineas winner D'Argento is out of a Redoute's Choice mare as is the Randwick Guineas winner Inference.

Aidan O'Brien's strongly supported The Cliffsofmoher (IRL) is bred on the killer Galileo - Danehill cross and Ed Dunlop's Lemon Drop Kid 6yo entire Red Verdon (USA) is out of a mare by Danehill's grandson Choisir.

Of High Chaparral's 22 Group 1 winners, 13 were born south of the equator.

His nine winners born in the north included last year's Group 1 Melbourne Cup hero Rekindling (IRE), while Contributer (IRE) earned his two Group 1's in the ATC Chipping Norton Stakes and Ranvet Stakes.

Westbury Stud's Redwood (GB), the sire of Night's Watch, earned his win at the highest level in the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes at Woodbine.

Youngstar and Ace High come from the penultimate crop of High Chaparral (IRE) in Australia, but the son of Sadler's Wells has another rising star in the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Thinkin' Big who is one of 117 foals from his final crop.

The Group III Gloaming Stakes winner did not have the rub of the green when third in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick at his most recent start.

He looks well-placed in Saturday's Group III Caulfield Classic, which also features another talented son of High Chaparral (IRE), the Ciaron Maher and David Eustice-trained Visao.

High Chaparral (IRE) died in December 2014 shortly after arriving back in Ireland from Australia.

He is sadly missed although he has left a wonderful legacy with at least seven high-class sons covering mares in Australia this spring with another five in New Zealand.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
Toronado Winner Sign of Things to Come
So You Think and Dundeel have set a high standard for sire sons of the late Epsom Derby winner High Chaparral (IRE) with Swettenham Stud’s Toronado (IRE) also showing the promise of good things to come after making a strong start to the new season with his fifth winner since August 1 at Sale on Thursday.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
Big Payday for High Chaparral's A Man To Match
No black-type but a Group 1 prize for the connections of the High Chaparral (IRE) gelding A Man To Match who not only pocketed the $145,000 winners cheque as the inaugural winner of the $250,000 The Tab Wave (1800m) at the Gold Coast but had it topped off with another $200,000 for being a Magic Millions graduate.
High Chaparral's Mississippi Delta From Last to First in Perth Cup
The late, great Coolmore stallion High Chaparral (IRE) may have celebrated more prestigious wins in his glittering career but Saturday was a real financial windfall for the son of Sadler’s Wells.
Stampede Runs Then Into The Ground in Colin Stephen
Stampede has been out of the winner’s circle since October last year but when the son of High Chaparral (IRE) is gifted an easy run in front, as he did in Saturday’s Group III Colin Stephen Stakes (2400m) at Randwick, he proves very difficult to get by.
$6million Frankel Mare Tops Fasig -Tipton November Sale
The Fasig-Tipton November Sale, billed as the World’s Premier Breeding Stock Event, was held Monday at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. Twenty-five offerings sold for $1,000,000 or more, led by a trio of Grade/Group 1 winners with international appeal.
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.