For the past five weekends Redoute’s Choice has been matching strides with his son Snitzel, as they’ve compiled 14 Group & Listed stakes wins between them since 8 February.
This family rivalry took a new turn on Saturday at Randwick when Not A Single Doubt’s 3YO daughter Villa Verde stepped up to the plate and defeated Group 1 winner Snitzerland (by Snitzel) in the ATC Challenge S. 1000m G2.
Redoute’s Choice responded in the very next race, when his grand 4YO daughters A Time For Julia and Lilliburlero fought out the finish of the $150,000 ATC Roy Higgins Tribute Quality 1200m G3. Retired champion sire Flying Spur made it a clean sweep for Arrowfield with his third-placed daughter Recoinage.
It was the second Group success this campaign for A Time For Julia (ex Procrastinate by Jade Hunter) who is raced by her owner-breeders John & Deborah Camilleri. John’s delight was evident in his comment on Saturday evening, after several replays of the race video: “I love this mare – I bred her and she carries my daughter’s name – for me it is just so complete!”
A Time For Julia’s record now reads four wins and a touch over $350,000 prizemoney from ten starts, and a start in next Saturday’s Coolmore Classic G1 beckons.
Trainer Peter Moody said, “It was good and pleasing for where we are going in seven days – 1500 metres around Rosehill, and you want to be winning that but the manner in which she did it was the pleasing thing.
“She came off a tempo that was not as strong as we might have liked to have seen but she closed it out well. We’ve always had this opinion of her and I’m just glad to see it.”
A Time For Julia’s jockey Blake Shinn said, “She got further back than I anticipated, but I rode her where she was comfortable and she was there for me when I asked her. A great performance.”
All the jockeys in the race wore black armbands as a mark of respect for champion jockey and sporting hero Roy Higgins, who died last Saturday.
A Time For Julia is one of 7 Australian stakeswinners this season for Redoute’s Choice, currently third on the General Sires’ Premiership with prizemoney of $6.1 million.
Redoute’s Choice has 34 yearlings in next month’s Inglis Australian Easter Sale, among them three fillies and six colts consigned by Arrowfield.
