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Oakleigh Plate winner confirmed for Inglis auction
Celebrity Queen (Redoute’s Choice) - who dead-heated with Portland Sky (Deep Field) in the Oakleigh Plate (Gr 1, 1100m) last month - is the latest star name to be added to the Inglis Chairman’s Sale.
Trained by Grant and Alana Williams, the daughter of Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) has won seven of her career starts, including the Colonel Reeves Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Ascot in November, while she also finished a close second in the Winterbottom Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) last November. She has so far earned $826,780 in career prize-money.
Before she goes through the ring at the Chairman’s Sale on May 7, the mare will likely take her chance in the TJ Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Randwick on April 3.
Bred and raced by Bob Peters, the mare is out of Listed winner Celebrity Miss, who is herself a daughter of dual Group 1 winner Miss Margaret (Marscay).
Miss Margaret is also the dam of Group 2 scorer Confront (Bluebird) and she also produced Best Picture (Scenic), who in turn produced Best Feature (Secret Savings) - the dam of Listed winner Stageman, who finished second in the Group 3.
The mare’s third dam is Listed winner Fancy Miss (Sir Tristram), who is the grandam of Group 1 winner Dreamaway (More Than Ready) and Group 3-winning duo Dances On Stars (Snitzel) and Got Unders (Southern Image).
Celebrity Queens’ breeder and owner Bob Peters admitted that it was with great reluctance he is offering Celebrity Queen for sale.
“I’d rather not be selling her and while I’m retaining the dam, Celebrity Queen is going to be a great opportunity for someone,’’ Peters said.
“It’s quite a young family and as a breeder it would excite me that her first four dams are by Redoute’s Choice, More Than Ready, Marscay and Sir Tristram.”
The mare will certainly garner a certain amount of interest being by late breed-shaping stallion Redoute’s Choice, who is proving to be one of the best broodmare sires in the world, with 117 stakes winners being produced by his daughters, headed by 21 top-flight winners.
Celebrity Queen joins the likes of two-time Group 1 winner Pippie (Written Tycoon), fellow dual Group 1 winner Danzdanzdance (Mastercraftsman), Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) runner-up Lankan Star (Nicconi) and Courchevel - the Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) half- sister to champion mare Winx (Street Cry) - among the other entries catalogued for the sale.
“It is an absolute honour to be given the opportunity by Mr and Mrs Peters to sell Celebrity Queen on their behalf at the Chairman’s Sale,” said Inglis bloodstock consultant Harry Bailey.
“With her joining Pippie in the sale, the 2021 Chairman’s Sale is going to be the home of the best speed mares that Australia has to offer to the world, so it’s very exciting.
“We are very proud of what Chairman’s has become and after the virtual sale of 2020, we are looking forward to a fantastic sale back at Riverside in May.
“There is great quality among the entries for the Australian Weanling Sale and the Australian Broodmare Sale, as well as a big representation of yearlings in the HTBA May Sale, so it’s going to be a fantastic 10 days at Riverside in May.’’
