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Winchester, Spectrum's Grandson Retired To Stud Share

Winchester

Bert and Diana Firestone have retired their four-time grade I winner Winchester from racing for stallion duty. Breeding plans for the homebred 7-year-old runner have not been completed.

Sired by Theatrical, who was a grass champion for Bert Firestone and Allen Paulson, Winchester was produced from Irish group winner Rum Charger by Spectrum - who currently stands at Yellow Star Stud and covered his first season in KZN end of last year.

Winchester captured the 2011 Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes Grade 1 at Saratoga. He earlier won the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap Grade 1 over champion Gio Ponti and the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes Grade 1 over Paddy O'Prado, both at Belmont Park in 2010, as well as the 2008 Secretariat Stakes Grade 1 at Arlington Park.

Winchester, who was stakes-placed in Ireland, was retired with 15 top-three finishes from 25 starts and earnings of $1,587,098. In what was his final start, he finished third in the W. L. McKnight Handicap Grade 2 on 26 November. He was trained in North America by Christophe Clement. Winchester is currently at Miacomet Farm in Kentucky.

Spectrum has been making news as a Broodmare sire recently. He currently has another grandson at stud, Dutch Art (by Medicean) was the leading first crop sire in the UK with stakes won at the end of October last year, and Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith paid 900,000gns for the sale-topper 13 year old Ventura (by Spectrum) at the end of November last year. Her daughter Moonlight Cloud(GB) by Invincible Spirit subsequently won the 2011 Grade 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest. Spectrum is also the sire of Golan (winner of the English 2000 Guineas) who stands at Coolmore Stud Ireland as a National Hunt Stallion.

Spectrum - Yellow Star Stud Spectrum, by Rainbow Quest - River Dancer by Irish River, is a four time winner including the Irish 2000 Guineas 1600m Grade 1 and the Champion Stakes 2000m Grade 1, from 1600 - 2000m and he was given a Time Form rating of 126 at the age of 3.

In South Africa his progeny include The Plunderer who won the Grade 3 Champion Juvenile Cup, another son Beacon Flare who ran a second in the Grade 1 Premier's Champion Stakes, and another gelding called Captain Haddock out of the brilliant racemare Overarching - placed in the Grade 3 Protea Stakes.

If you would like to contact Yellow Star Stud about Spectrum(IRE), please contact Koos 083 390 3045 or Lorraine 082 897 7179 or alternatively email [email protected]. or [email protected].
Website: www.yellowstarstud.co.za
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