D'Argento - a gorgeous grey horse who can be recalled when taking the ATC Rosehill Guineas-G1 at Rosehill on Golden Slipper day, is retiring to the southern districts property of John and Helen North's Bowness Stud near Young.
Son of Coolmore Stud's outstanding sire So You Think, D'Argento belonged to an exceptional generation of top grade gallopers including Trapeze Artist, Kementari, and Pierata, who himself is beginning his own stud career this season at $44,000.
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D'Argento took his maiden race as a late two-year-old before going into his three-year-old season making it a treble of wins from his first three career starts.
Following, D'Argento was thrown into the mix of the best racehorses during the 2018 Sydney Autumn Carnival. In a vintage Hobartville Stakes-G2, D'Argento finished third (to Kementari and Pierata with Trapeze Artist running fourth), before claiming the 2018 Rosehill Guineas-G1.
He also finished a close-up fourth celebrated Doncaster Handicap-G1 (to cult figure Happy Clapper).
Always racing with effort, spring racing was next for D'Argento's finishing second in the ATC Epsom Handicap-G1 (to Hartnell), second in the Theo Marks Stakes-G2, and third in the Winx Stakes (to Winx) as a four-year-old.
D'Argento record completed at four wins, four placings (14 starts) and $1,103,525.
"When you consider he probably should have won a Doncaster and Epsom it certainly would have made him into a high-profile stallion, but we just came up short, I will certainly be supporting and helping to promote him as a stallion," his headlining Sydney trainer Chris Waller said.
Produced by Redoute's Choice stakes winning two-year-old Fullazz, D'Argento belongs to the global iconic Sadler's Wells, via his ever-emerging deceased son High Chaparral.
D'Argento's grey colour is likely to come via his grand-dam's sire, Kenmare, a champion French sire who became a major Australian influence when shuttling to Arrowfield Stud for nine stud seasons from 1988.
Stallions 2020
I was excited when I recently picked up my Stallions 2020 from the Post Office last week, the annual publication that is published by Andrew Reichard of Bluebloods magazine.
Now in its 32nd year, the book has showcased 286 stallions, each excellently covered over two pages which displays a detailed pedigree, pedigree "nicks", and in some cases sale results of progeny.
The beautifully illustrated book also includes ancestry and breeding index of featured stallions, last year's leading international sires, and Australian statistics for the 2018-2019 season.
Its reference stallions are champion sires Danehill, Dubawi, Galileo, Street Cry, and Zabeel.
Prizemoney returns
MOVING a week on, Racing NSW (RNSW) announced that owners are able to return to NSW racecourses to watch their horse race. RNSW stated that owners are now allowed to attend a racecourse, to visit their horses in the raceday stalls, and view their horses' race, without being confined to a seated food or drink area.
"This announcement will be particularly welcomed in country regions where the race clubs don't necessarily have the facilities to take advantage of the previous relaxation of restrictions in respect of existed seated food and drink areas," said Peter V'landys chief executive of RNSW.
In another announcement - via RNSW chairman Russell Balding, prizemoney levels will be restored to pre-Covid-19 levels from July 1. While city Saturday and mid-week races have been restored back to $125,000, and $50,000 respectively, this also applies to provincial and country racing.
From July 1 provincial races will restore to $35,000, country "Showcase" races to $30,000, and country TAB races to $22,000. The metropolitan "Highway" races will restore up to $75,000. Mr V'landys said further relaxations could see up to 10,000 spectators to return to NSW racecourses over coming weeks.
We love rain, but ...
RAIN is good news except when races are scheduled. Last Sunday, Coonamble lost its Cannonball race-day, while Wagga Wagga was just able to race - on a heavy 10. Queanbeyan trainer Joe Cleary prepared the winner of the $20,000 juvenile dash, with Choccy Gaf.