Another Loss For Australia
Story By Brian Russell
Wednesday, 20 February 2008: Distorted Humour's 2008 fee of $US300,000 is the equal highest in America while , Mr Greeley is on $US125,000.
The pair are grandsons of the great Mr. Prospector , Distorted Humour by Forty Niner and Mr. Greeley by Gone West.
A reminder of their neglect in Australia was recalled following the win of he Mick Price-trained Sound Journey in the $176,000 Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes at Moonee Valley last Saturday.
He is not by either of these sires but by Good Journey, another sire likely to leave egg on the faces of Australian breeders by becoming a prominent sire in America.
Won or placed in 15 of 16 career starts, including a Group1 and three Group 2 wins among seven victories, Good Journey was also third in the Breeders' Cup Mile.
He is a son of Nureyev and the Damascus mare Private Account Chimes Of Freedom, the best 3YO filly miler in Europe in 1990, and descends from the same exalted family as Redoute's Choice.
Good Journey stood for four seasons at Ealing Park Stud for the defunct Written Bloodstock Syndicate in Victoria from 2003 to 2006 when he covered a total of 140 mares, his biggest book being 47 in 2005.
He was bought by American interests when the Wriiten Bloodstock horses were dispersed at the close of 2006 and is now standing successfully in California.
His oldest Australian progeny are 3YOs and from 17 runners nine have been successful.
Sound Journey, now winner of four of five starts, is his first stakes success, a big return on a horse who cost only $6,000 at a mixed sale.
There are three lots by Good Journey in the catalogue for the William Inglis Victorian Premier yearling sale commencing on March 2 and also three in the first crop of his close relation, Denon, who has also been standing in Victoria.
Denon is a son of Kentucky Derby winner Pleasant Colony from Aviance, the Group 1 grandam of Good Journey.
His performances included four G1 wins in America and a third in the G1 French Two Thousand Guineas.
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