My Redeemer's Stud Appeal Continues To Spiral

IF last year's Melbourne Cup winner My Redeemer had not become so popular with broodbitch owners, the star race dog may have very well been lining up on Friday night at Sandown to defend his title.

That's according to the dog's breeder and former trainer, now studmaster, David Geall.

“You should see him,” beamed Geall. “He is so fit, he could have gone back into training to try for another Melbourne Cup for sure.

“He still works 600 metres in the galloping runs every day of his life, he thrives on it.”

But the son of Fernando Bale and Where's Demonica has become the flavour of the month with broodbitch owners right around the country, his constant demand at stud quashing any plans of a return to racing.

“He's been so well received; it is the only reason he is not back racing,” said Geall.

To date, more than 100 vials of semen from My Redeemer have been purchased, 45 litters have already been born and there is around 260 pups from those matings.

“His oldest pups are just eight months and every time we hear back from the breeders or rearing properties it is that they are so keen,” said Geall.

“That's the theme we hear all the time.”

This glowing assessment from owners and breeders has not been surprising for Geall at all.

“He is an amazing dog,” he said.

“To look at him in the kennels at home, he never expends one bit of energy.

"Every time I look at him I wonder how he could get into that mode where he was such a fierce chaser.”

Geall says My Redeemer's half-sister, champion Up Hill Jill (Premier Fantasy-Where's Demonica) was just the same.

“She was as calm as at home, but once at the races she became very feisty, very fiery.”

A brief look at the quality bitches My Redeemer has already mated gives breeders an idea of how he could quickly become a stud success when his first progeny get to the races in a little under a year's time.

He has mated star race bitches and quality producers like Zipping Willow, Come On Fantasy, Cosmic Wise, Pepper Fire, Spare Cash, Infinite Wish, Milly Keeping, Magic Lace, Lemon Sunrise, Jacqui Blax, Miss Betsy, Oxley Rubey, All Too Fancy, Raw Ability's half-sister Bugatti Royale, Pechey … the list goes on and on and on.

“I'm told they are always tall and leggy, not shy at all, which is exactly like him,” said Geall.

“What has surprised us is the fact many broodbitch owners will wait until a stud dog is proven before using him. But this does not seem to be the case with My Redeemer.

“And the breeders are being able to sell his pups for good money.”

While My Redeemer did eventually run 34.04 at The Meadows to prove the strength he possessed, Geall points out that his Melbourne cup victory was won with sustained early pace.

“He had to show such great early pace because he had to hold out Black Opium at the first turn,” he said.

“And she was absolutely flying, unbeaten at the time.”

My Redeemer had 51 starts winning 25 and earning $681,805 in stakes.

He did that from Group 1 wins in the Melbourne Cup and Harrison Dawson.

He was a finalist in the Australian Cup, Peter Mosman and Temlee all of them at Group 1 level.

He is from a litter of six named offspring, all of them winners and brothers Emerald Rainbow (26 wins, $104,990) and Fernando Drums (31 wins, $67,470) are prolific winners also.