ONE of the first Australian-born foal’s by Vinery Stud’s top gun sire Congrats arrived at Middlebrook Valley Stud at Scone on Tuesday.
The colt is the first foal of Sachariste (USA) – a three-quarter sister to Champion Sire Hussonet (USA), half-sister to international Group I winner and sire Ekraar (USA) and Balenciaga (dam of Cristobal). She is a daughter of Sacahuisata – the Champion 3YO filly and 3-time Grade One winner who took out the Breeders Cup Distaff.
“He’s a lovely colt. Was up on his feet soon after foaling and is drinking very well. The owners have every reason to be delighted with him,” said Middlebrook Valley Lodge manager Verna Metcalfe.
Congrats returns to Vinery Stud this spring at a fee of $22,000 and Vinery’s Conor Phelan reports the stallion is now fully booked.
He is running at over 85% winners to runners from his U.S first crop – with 19 of his 91 runners being stakes horses, so let’s hope he does similar things with his first crop here,” he said.
“He had two winners from two runners on Monday night and doesn’t look like slowing – I wish we could take a bigger book to him!”
Congrats, a son of the acclaimed A.P Indy, was a multiple stakeswinner on the track before going on to a swift and successful career in the breeding barn.
His debut crop included 4 Grade One performers, 2 of those Grade One winners, including Turbulent Descent who was (Equal) top ranked 3YO Filly in the Sprint category on the WTR.
Congrats’ was crowned the Leading First Season Sire in the USA in 2010.
“That first crop has now delivered 18 stakeswinners so, importantly they are training on,” Phelan says.
“He has a new batch of horses in behind that are going really well. His results in the sale ring have picked up immeasurably as has the quality of the mares that he has covered in his past two years so the only way is up.
“By the time his Australian foals go to the sale ring as weanlings and then yearlings, one would imagine that Congrats would have more than established himself as a leading sire in the USA.’
