ONE of the best Australian equine athletes of his time was one of the most successful sires for 2009-10 by earnings and numbers. Now at Vinery, Segenhoe Valley, Scone following transfer from Yallambee stud in Victoria in 2006, he is the Danzig grandson Testa Rossa (by Perugino) and his national statistics for the year were 143 winners (6 SWs) of 203 races and $6,122,587.Taking in his 13 overseas winners, he ended up with a mammoth 229 wins and over $7.6million. The Australian money put Testa Rossa in sixth place on the national earnings list, immediately above More Than Ready and Zabeel, and third by wins and fourth by winners.
It was the second successive year in which had been a prominent transmitter of excellence, his 2008-09 statistics being 96 winners (5 SWs) of 178 races and $5,447,381. All told the Australian sired progeny of the now 14-years-old Testa Rossa to date have supplied 304 winners (70.1% of his runners) of 840 races and $28million. He has had 25 stakes winners, headed by Ortensia, Rostova,Testafiable,Vormista,Publishing and Gold Salute, and 28 others stakes placed. In addition limited use in France in 2003 and 2004 has resulted in 21 winners, including four successful in stakes races, in the northern hemisphere. Only ten of the 2009-10 Testa Rossa winners, the juveniles, were got at Vinery, the others all being from his Victorian use. Since moving to Vinery in the Hunter valley, however, he has had upgraded quality books of 158 (current 3-year-olds),145,135 and 158 (2009). Now on a fee of $44,000, he again faces up to a strong book in the 2010 season. Testa Ross has much to offer his progeny in the way of ability. He was one of the best gallopers up to1600m of the decade of the1990s, winning13 races, including five each at two and three. An early maturer, he won his first four at two, in order the Debutant Stakes-LR (Caulfield, 2.5 lengths), Maribyrnong Plate-Gr.2 (Flemington, 2.8 lengths), a 1200m event (Randwick, 3.3 lengths) and then romped home in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (Gold Coast, 4.3 lengths). His remaining three juvenile starts included a win in the VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes-Gr.1 (Flemington, 2.3 lengths) and a second in the Blue Diamond-Gr.1(Caulfield). As a 3-year-old he was named champion Australian Sprinter, but also challenged as one of the best milers. At this age, he won three Group1s in Melbourne, the Lightning (Flemington,1.3 lengths), Futurity (Caulfield, 0.8 lengths) and Invitation Stakes (Caulfield, 0.4 lengths), and also two Group 2s in Sydney, the San Domenico (Randwick) and Up and Coming Staks (Warwick Farm). Also at three he was runner up in the Caulfield Guineas and Ascot Vale Stakes. Two more Group1 successes at four were in the Emirates (Flemington,1.3 lengths) and another renewal of the Invitation at Caulfield.
His racing class and success as a sire focuses attention on two sires now at one of Queensland’s most respected studs, the Basil Nolan family’s Raheen at Gladfield near Warwick. One of them, now an established winner getter with his eldest just turned four, is Stromberg Carlson and he is nearly a three-quarter brother to Testa Rossa. He is by the Danzig grandson Redoute’s Choice and like Testa Rossa is from Bo Dapper, a daughter of Sir Dapper, a Vain Australian champion at two and three. Like Stromberg Carlson on a 2010 fee of $4,400, the other connection to Testa Rossa at Raheen is one of his two stakes winning sons now at stud, Publishing. Put over 123 mares in his first season last year, this imposing looking16.1 hands bay was a very smart Melbourne sprinter who included in six wins, the Standish at Flemington and the T.S. Carlyon Cup at Caulfield. Inbred 4x4 to Vain, Publishing is from Sally Magic, a daughter of the Kenmare VRC Lightning Stakes and Blue Diamond Stakes second Keltrice and Sleep Time Girl, a close relation by champion Century to sizzling racing star Rancher. The other Testa Rossa stakes winner available at stud isTestafiable, a winner of the South Australian Derby and VRC Carbine Club Stakes, second in the AJC Craven Plate and third in the AJC Australian Derby, Stan Fox Stakes and QTC Sires’ Produce Stakes. He stands on $6,600 at Wyndholm Park, Miners Rest, Victoria.
By Brian Russell
