It was 1985 when US breeder William duPont III of Lexington, Kentucky would send the French bred Noalcoholic to Blue Gum Farm . He would become Australia’s Champion First Season Sire of the 1987/88 season. Then followed a string of successful sires Rancho Ruler, Umatilla, Kenvain, Rubiton. In the next decade the farm continued to produce a list of good winners until the arrival of the son of the King.
Encosta De Lago
Vic Health Cup
Vic Health Cup
In 1997 they would make a decision which would forever put the farm, high on a pedestal . They shuttled the brother of the legendary Sadlers Wells by the name of Fairy King to Australia for a meeting with Shoal Creek, a Star Way mare. The brothers were by Northern Dancer out of a mare by the name of Fairy Bridge. That mating would produce the great Encosta De Lago. On the track he was talented but in the breeding barn as a stallion he was sensational. Standing at an initial service fee of just $8,500, Encosta de Lago would established himself in the very top echelon of sires in the country. Producing the sensational Alinghi as well as Hong Kong's champion Sacred Kingdom and the grey flash, Chautauqua.
Sacred Kingdom Tribute
He remained a resident at Blue Gum Farm until the 2004 breeding season. When following the death of the great Danehill at Coolmore's Hunter Valley Farm it was decided to transfer him from Blue Gum. He was retired from stud duties in 2015 at the age of 21 leaving his dynasty in the hands of his sire sons, Manhattan Rain,Northern Meteor and newcomer Racing To Win.
Manhattan Rain Blue Gum Farm
Blue Gum also produced the great Elvstroem winner of the 2003 VRC Derby, 2004 Caulfield Cup and overseas recorded a victory in the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free Stakes. At the moment Blue Gum Farm stands Turffontein standing at $8,800 who is by the unbeaten, World Champion Two Year Old Johannesbug. Fast making a name for himself as a sire of sires. His son Scat Daddy was Champion Freshman Sire in the US and sire of 68 stakes winners including the 2018 Kentucky Derby winner Justify .
Its good to note that Fairy Bridge's final foal was a colt by Danzig called Perugino who was a successful stallion in Australia and her mum Special produced the great broodmare producing stallion Nureyev.While Her son Saddlers Wells dominates the European racing circuit she has plenty of influence in the southern hemisphere as well.
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