Redoute's Choice (15 August 1996 – 26 March 2019) was a multiple

Group One Group One, Group 1, Grade I or G1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. In Europe, the level of races for Thoroughbred racing is determined using the Pattern race system introduce ...

-winning Australian

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...

racehorse and also a champion sire. He is by the phenomenal international sire Danehill (USA) out of the lightly raced mare Shantha's Choice (Canny Lad-Dancing Show). His dam is a half-sister to the Group One winners Hurricane Sky (by Star Watch) and Umatilla (by Miswaki (USA)), and later produced the Group One winners Platinum Scissors (also by Danehill) and Manhattan Rain (by Encosta De Lago).

Racing career

Redoute's Choice was raced by his breeder,

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

n businessman Muzaffar Ali Yaseen, and trained by Rick Hore-Lacy. On debut, he won the Listed Veuve Cliquot Stakes (1,100 metres) at Caulfield on 20 February 1999. Seven days later, and starting from a wide barrier, he won the prestigious

Blue Diamond Stakes The Blue Diamond Stakes is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds, at set weights, run over 1200 metres at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The event is Victoria's richest two-year-ol ...

(1,200 metres) by two lengths from his future arch-rival, Testa Rossa, whose preparation for the race had been interrupted by a slight injury. Testa Rossa then won the VRC Sires Produce Stakes before a spell, while Redoute's Choice was promoted to favouritism for the Golden Slipper - the world's richest race for two-year-olds - but was scratched the night before the race due to a raised temperature. Sydney gelding

Shogun Lodge Shogun Lodge (25 September 1996 – 8 November 2003) was an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse by American sire Grand Lodge. Shogun Lodge won three Group One races, and remarkably ran 2nd in a further 12 Group 1 races. On 8 November 2003, Shogu ...

ultimately started favourite, while the race was won by another Danehill colt, Catbird. Redoute's Choice made his return as a spring three-year-old in the Manikato Stakes (1,200 metres) at Moonee Valley. In winning this race, Redoute's Choice made it three stakes wins from as many starts, and became a Group One winner at

weight-for-age {{use dmy dates, date=October 2022 Weight for Age (WFA) is a term in thoroughbred horse racing which is one of the conditions for a race. History The principle of WFA was developed by Admiral Rous, a handicapper with the English Jockey Club. Rou ...

at just his third start. At his next two starts, he was second-last of five behind the outsider Spargo in the Ascot Vale Stakes (1,200 metres) at Flemington and third behind Testa Rossa in the

Invitation Stakes The Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, registered as the Invitation Stakes, is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred open handicap horse race, run over a distance of 1400 metres at Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in late September. Tota ...

(1,400 metres) at Caulfield. Three weeks later, over an extra 200 metres in the Caulfield Guineas, Redoute's Choice defeated Testa Rossa after a dogged battle down the straight, while another future stallion, Commands, finished third. Two weeks later, Redoute's Choice, Testa Rossa, and Commands lined up in the

Cox Plate The W. S. Cox Plate is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over under Weight for age conditions, over a distance of 2040 metres (approximately 1m 2f), that is held by the Moonee Valley Racing Club at ...

(2,040 metres), but the relatively poor recent record of three-year-olds continued, with all three finishing unplaced, as the field came in at lengthy intervals behind the champion mare Sunline. In the new year, Redoute's Choice had three further starts - all in Group One races. He began with a second to Miss Pennymoney in the

Australia Stakes The Australia Stakes, registered as the Stanley Wootton Stakes, is a Moonee Valley Racing Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race raced under weight for age conditions, for three year olds and older, over a distance of 1200 metres at Moonee Valley ...

(1,200 metres) at Moonee Valley, and was well-ridden in beating the same filly in the

C F Orr Stakes The C F Orr Stakes is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race at Weight for Age, run over a distance of 1400 metres at Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in February. Total prize money is A$750,000. ...

(1,400 metres) second-up at Caulfield. At his final start, over the same course, he was third behind Testa Rossa and Miss Pennymoney in the Futurity Stakes. Redoute's Choice retired with career earnings of A$1,567,850. During this time, Arrowfield Stud had bought a significant share in the colt, and he entered stud later in the year.

Stud career

Redoute's Choice stood at Arrowfield Stud after his retirement in 2000.

Notable stock

Redoute's Choice has sired 39 individual Group 1 winners ''c =

colt Colt(s) or COLT may refer to: * Colt (horse), an intact (uncastrated) male horse under four years of age People *Colt (given name) *Colt (surname) Places * Colt, Arkansas, United States *Colt, Louisiana, an unincorporated community, United State ...

, f =

filly A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, t ...

, g =

gelding A gelding is a castration, castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. Castration, as well as the elimination of hormonally driven horse behavior, behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male equine to be calmer a ...

'' Redoute's Choice was crowned champion first season sire in Australia in 2004 and champion sire in 2006. With ten crops of racing age, Redoute's Choice established himself as the heir apparent (in Australia) to his champion sire Danehill, and his fee was A$137,500. He excelled as a sire of two-year-olds - with quinellas in the Golden Slipper and the Blue Diamond and a trifecta in the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast - and also produced

-winning three- and four-year-olds. Redoute's Choice produced about 150 stakeswinners and 30 Group 1 winners including Miss Finland, The Autumn Sun, Lotteria, God's Own, Snitzel, Stratum, Fashions Afield, Nadeem, Undoubtedly, Bradbury's Luck, Samantha Miss, and Cheeky Choice. Six of his sons have also sired G1 winners: Not A Single Doubt (Miracles of Life and Always Certain); Stratum (Streama, Southern Lord, Crystal Lily); Snitzel (Sizzling, Shamus Award); Duelled (Shootoff); Fast 'n Famous (Quintessential); Bradbury's Luck (Luckygray)
ASB - SW progeny
Redoute's Choice was also dominant in the sales ring, having led the sale averages at the Australian Easter Yearling Sales for nine consecutive years. In 2013 Redoute's Choice stood his first season at the

Aga Khan IV Shāh Karim al-Husayni (born 13 December 1936), known by the religious title Mawlānā Hazar Imam by his Ismaili followers and elsewhere as Aga Khan IV, is the 49th and current Imam of Nizari Ismailis, a denomination within Shia Islam. He h ...

Stud's Haras de Bonneval in France. He covered a blueblood book of mares during his first European breeding season including Zarkava- the unbeaten 2008 European Horse of the Year, Group 1 winner Alpine Rose, Born Gold - the dam of 2010 European Horse of the Year oldikovaand G1 winner Galikova, dual G1 winner Shareta, Forest Pearl - dam of Champion Miss Finland, G1 winner Vadawina and G1 winner Rosanara.

Death

Arrowfield Stud announced the death of Redoute's Choice on 26 March 2019 at the age of 22. The horse was humanely euthanised after suffering a loss of mobility which could not be restored.

Pedigree

References