Timing is Everything

A lot can happen in the space of two years in the world of thoroughbred breeding and for this promising young stallion, events that have unfolded since spring 2011 have now positioned him as one of the most exciting stallions in the country.

Reward for Effort retired to Chatswood Stud two years ago and as a Group I winning juvenile by a very good sire in Exceed and Excel, he had no trouble attracting support at a fee of $11,000 and covered 150 mares.
The best Victorian juvenile of his generation, Reward for Effort won two of his first three starts for Peter Moody, taking the Listed MRC Blue Diamond Preview on debut, then finishing second to Real Saga in the Group III MRC Blue Diamond Prelude.

He turned the tables on that colt to win the Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes by more than a length before failing on a treacherous heavy track in the Golden Slipper won by Phelan Ready.

Injured as a spring three year-old, Reward for Effort missed virtually his entire classic season, stepping out in late July to win the Listed MRC Sir John Monash Stakes and then travelling to Sydney to win the Group III STC Concorde Stakes as a four year-old.

Reward for Effort had only four more starts before aggravating his old injury and being retired to stud in March 2011 after just 10 starts in total.

At the time of his retirement, Chatswood Stud principal Greg Willis issued the following statement.

“The people at Darley tell me Exceed And Excel has some outstanding young horses coming through from his better books of mares,” Willis said.

Exceed and Excel

“Helmet appeals as a great chance in the upcoming Group I AJC Sires Produce Stakes next week.”
Never have truer words been spoken by a studmaster.

Helmet of course went on to win the AJC Sires Produce Stakes and the Group I Champagne Stakes that followed it, not to mention taking the Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas in the spring.

He wasn’t Robinson Crusoe either as Exceed and Excel has delivered a raft of top class performers that have seen him scale the heights to be crowned Australia’s Champion Sire for 2012/2013.

Some 17 Australian stakes-winners in the past season also gave Exceed and Excel the title of leading sire by individual stakes-winners and if we needed any further proof of his ascendancy we saw it when he was chosen as the first partner for superstar mare Black Caviar in preference to horses of the stature of Redoute’s Choice, More Than Ready (USA) and Fastnet Rock.

Juvenile stakes-winners delivered a big chunk of his success last season giving Exceed and Excel top honours as Champion 2YO Sire.

His star performers were Golden Slipper winner Overreach and the Darley flagbearer Guelph, who emulated the deeds of Helmet in winning the Group I ATC Sires Produce Stakes and Champagne Stakes to give Exceed and Excel the 2YO Triple Crown.

Reward For Effort

The emergence of Overreach has been particularly interesting as she is a three-quarter sister-in-blood to Reward for Effort as her dam Bahia is his half-sister.

Bahia and Reward for Effort are both from stakes-winning Rory’s Jester mare Miss Prospect, who comes from a prolific Black Type family featuring stakes-winners such as Consular, Catnipped, Bleveeka, Full at Last, Chuckle, Swiss Rose, Sister Havana… the list goes on.

It’s always been a very good family, but with the addition of two Group I winning juveniles in Reward for Effort and Overreach it’s become a great one.

As a Champion First Season Sire that has now made it all the way to the top, Exceed and Excel has little to prove and Reward for Effort is poised to take him to that next level and establish him as a sire of sires.

Victorian breeders have not been blind to the improving stocks of Reward for Effort, who covered an increased number of 173 mares last year, putting him in the Top 10 of Australia’s busiest sires for 2012.

His oldest progeny are now yearlings that will undoubtedly be a feature of the 2014 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, which is Victoria’s flagship bloodstock event.
“We are very positive about them and believe they will prove appealing in the market place,” said Inglis Melbourne based Bloodstock Director Peter Heagney.
“Exceed and Excel couldn’t be going any better which is a big plus and Reward for Effort was a brilliant two year-old that won our best juvenile race in Victoria.

“He’s a very good stamp of a horse and from what we are seeing when we visit the farms, he is passing that on to his offspring as there are some lovely yearlings out there.”

A Danehill line sire that also carries the blood of Golden Slipper winners Rory’s Jester and Todman, Reward for Effort has all the elements for a successful stud career that breeders like to see.

“We are certainly looking forward to offering the progeny of Reward for Effort in our sales and he’s the sort of sire that could easily become a great asset for Victoria,” Heagney added.

Footnote: Reward for Effort offers great value at $11,000 in comparison to Exceed and Excel at $88,000, Helmet at $33,000 and Excelebration at $27,500.

For more information contact Greg Willis on 0419 990 560 or 03 5799 0560  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

By Tara Madgwick –