VINERY Stud resident More Than Ready joined thoroughbred breeding elite when he sired his 100th and 101st individual stakeswinner on the weekend.

More Than Ready went into Saturday on 99 stakeswinners, but raised the ‘ton’ with not one but two new black-type winners namely Maybe So and Promise Me More.  Fittingly, both were two year olds.

His 100th Stakes winner was the undfeated two year old colt, Maybe So.

After jumping well and settling in third, just behind the favorite, Maybe So challenged the lead at the quarter pole and outgamed his rival’s in a stretchlong duel to win the $100,000 Mountaineer Juvenile Stakes by a neck.

 

More Than Ready is the fourth youngest sire in history to join the exclusive ‘100 Club’ whose members include the likes of Danehill, Sadler’s Wells, Mr Prospector, Northern Dancer, Danzig, Sunday Silence and Vinery’s own Red Ransom.

More Than Ready has twice been crowned Australia’s Leading Sire of 2YO’s, an honour which he emulated in the USA in 2010 after siring the winners of both divisions of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Pluck and More Than Real).

Described by champion trainer Gai Waterhouse as ‘the best sire since Star Kingdom’, More Than Ready has left an indelible imprint on the world’s richest two-year-old race, the Golden Slipper.

Apart from siring the winners in 2008 (Sebring) and 2009 (Phelan Ready), More Than Ready then sired placegetters More Strawberries (2010), Elite Falls (2011) and Samaready this year when responsible for 5 of the 16 runner’s.

 

As great a juvenile sire as he clearly is, More Than Ready didn’t get to 100 without his share of ‘older’ horses.  A number of “first time” stakeswinners that were aged seven at the time.

Indeed, More Than Ready has sired stakeswinners from 1000m to 2400m and boasts Derby, Oaks and Breeder’s Cup victories amongst his tally.

No More Than Ready has achieved more than More Joyous who took her tally of Group 1 wins to eight when she swept through the autumn carnival undefeated.

More Joyous won her first start as a 2YO by 5-lens beating subsequent Group winner Hurtle Myrtle has won at the highest level from 1200m to 2000m under WFA and Handicap conditions.

 

More Than Ready stands at Vinery Stud in the Hunter Valley at a 2012 Service Fee of $121,000 inc GST.