Multiple champion Australian sire Snitzel had a Saturday to remember, with his progeny making their mark both on the track and at stud.
Not only did his son Splintex beat Snitzel’s top-class daughter Away Game when victorious in Saturday’s Gr2 Lexus Bobbie Lewis Quality at Flemington, Snitzel’s son Shamus Award made headlines when his progressive son Incentivise captured Saturday’s Gr1 PFD Food Services Makybe Diva Stakes.
Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice – Snippet’s Lass)
Another son of Snitzel, Mr Mozart, captured Saturday’s Listed Exford Plate at Flemington.
Remarkably, the first six home in the Bobbie Lewis all carry the blood of Redoute’s Choice – whose progeny also include current boom South African sire Rafeef – in their pedigree!
To date, Shamus Award, winner of both the Gr1 Cox Plate and Gr1 Australian Guineas (his only two wins), is his sire’s best stallion son. Incentivise is Shamus Award’s fourth Gr1 winner, with the sire also responsible for Mr Quickie (Queensland Derby, Toorak Handicap), Duais (Queensland Oaks) and Media Award (SAJC Australasian Oaks).
Snitzel has made a scintillating start to the 2021-2022 racing season and he is currently heading the Australian General Sires List. Shamus Award is tenth on that General Sires List.
Snitzel has been responsible for more than 110 stakes winners and his progeny have earned more than AUS$181 million.
The best sire son thus far of legendary Australian sire Redoute’s Choice, broodmare sire of Saturday’s eyecatching Gr2 Run To The Rose winner Anamoe, Snitzel is also the sire of hugely promising three-year-old In The Congo. The latter, a colt out of the South African bred and raced champion Via Africa, caught the eye when only just run out of it late to take second spot in the Gr2 Run To The Rose on Saturday. Another son of Snitzel, Remarque, finished third in the Run To The Rose.
A winner of two of just five starts, In The Congo did his future stud prospects no ham when he won the G3 San Domenico Stakes last time out and he looks to have a bright future ahead of him. In The Congo’s big race entries include possible berths in both the Gr1 Golden Rose and Gr1 Caulfield Guineas.
Snitzel, Champion Sire in Australia on four occasions thus far, has a single son at stud in South Africa. The flashy grey Heavenly Blue, winner of the 2017 Gr1 SA Classic, has his first yearlings go on sale in 2022.
Heavenly Blue (Snitzel – Simply Carina)
Also runner up in the 2017 Gr2 Dingaans and third in both the Gr1 SA Derby and Gr2 Gauteng Guineas, Heavenly Blue is out of a winning daughter of champion US sire El Prado, and his granddam is a multiple Gr1 winning daughter of champion, and top-class sire, Theatrical. The latter also ranks as the broodmare sire of top-class US sire English Channel – whose progeny include recent Gr1 Flower Bowl Stakes winner War Like Goddess, and more than 50 other black type winners.
Heavenly Blue is directly descended in female line from the great mare Hildene -the dam of champions First Landing – sire of Kentucky Derby winner Riva Ridge – and Hill Prince.
