VINERY Stud’s foundation sire Red Ransom is on the verge of siring his 100th individual stakeswinner and there is every chance that it could occur in New Zealand this weekend.

Red Ransom is represented by three runners in black-type races this weekend including Prix Du Sang at Riccarton which will contest the Group 3 CJC New Zealand Cup (3200m).
Twenty minutes earlier across at Tauranga, Red Ransom has former Magic Millions sale-topper Arlington and NZ Ready To Run sale topper King Raedwald are also striving for Group 3 success in the Tuaranga Stakes over a mile.
Arlington, the half-brother to Cox Plate winner Savabeel, is already one of his sires 99 stakeswinners, while King Raedwald in Group 2 placed and was fourth in the Group One Levin Stakes.

“Red Ransom has been a tremendously important stallion for Vinery, firstly in Kentucky then here in Australia when he arrived in the 1999 season,” Vinery’s Adam White said.
“He was our foundation sire and has contributed so much to the Farm, breeders who supported him and buyers who purchased his yearlings.
“Red Ransom has sired 16 Group One winners and his progeny have won some of the most prestigious races in the world.”

Once Red Ransom does achieve the milestone of 100 stakeswinners he will become part of an illustrious band of stallions that includes; Sadler’s Wells, Northern Dancer, Mr Prospector, Danehill, Storm Bird, Sunday Silence and the Cambridge Stud father and son duo, Sir Tristram and Zabeel.  (Roberto has one other sire son with 100+ SW and that is Dynaformer, sire of Americain)

“If you take a look at the list of the stallions who have sired 100 or more stakeswinners, you will see that almost every one of them has gone on to become a very successful sire of sires,” says White.
“Signs are that he is well on the way to that in Australasia with the likes of Charge Forward being named Champion First Season sire last year, New Zealand based Ekraar already producing a Group 1 winner and of course Vinery bred Domesday has three stakes winners from his first crop.”
In the last season alone, White says, four more of his sons were added to the Australian national roster including Red Ransom’s only Group One 2YO, Onemorenomore as well as Duporth, All American and Typhoon Tracy’s full-brother, Red Element.

“Onemorenomore was an $800,000 Easter yearling who placed on debut in the Breeders’ Plate before going onto to win the Group One Champagne Stakes in the autumn beating Tickets and Manhattan Rain by four lengths.
“He is a magnificent horse with a very good pedigree page. His dam, Palia, was a stakeswinner in New Zealand and came across to Australia to win the Group Two Emancipation Stakes at Randwick.
“She has thrown four stakes performers including Dr Green who was a very speedy stakeswinning two-year-old in New Zealand who managed to place in the Silver Slipper,” White noted.
Other prominent members of the family include Group One winner Casino Prince and the Australian-bred Green Birdie who beat Rocket Man in last years’ Group One KrisFlyer Sprint in Singapore.
“Onemorenore has been given fantastic support from breeders over here, around 130 mares including Group One winners Regimental Gal, Serious Speed, Linky Dink, Heavenly Glow and Devil Moon.”

Buyers and breeders won’t have many more chances to share in Red Ransom’s success now that he is no longer with us.

However, the availability of his penultimate crop of yearlings at Karaka in 2011 is sure to be a lure for buyers.
“I understand that he has some very nice yearlings headed to Karaka in January, including a half brother to King’s Rose which should feature in Saturday’s 1000 Guineas” said White,”and they are bound to have appeal to a whole range of buyers, locally, from Australia and further afield.”