First Stakes Winner for Coat's Choice

First Stakes Winner for Coat's Choice A month ago Milo made his first appearance on the racetrack, and in the space of four weeks the talented three-year-old has gone from maiden winner to stakes winner in just four starts. A gelding by Coats Choice (Redoute's Choice – Coat) out of the Woodman mare Milk and Honey (ex Miss Turkoman) Milo also became the first stakes winner for his young Canterbury based sire. "It's a fabulous result for Coats Choice especially right on the eve of the sales," said a delighted Edwina Morris the breeder of Milo and the proprietor along with Alan Jones of Berkley Stud where the stallion stands. "We saw Milo win at his second start at Kurow, and that was only four days after his debut third at Otago, and we saw him win again at Omakau four days after that so we knew he had ability. When we saw him in the guineas field we were hoping he would win, but it was a big step up and it was a pretty talented field. "It's pretty exciting he is a tremendous horse. He always had a fantastic temperament; he was always very relaxed and coped with everything you threw at him. He would have to be a serious contender for the Gallop South $100,000 Triple Crown and that would be really exciting," said Morris. The Gallop South Triple Crown is run over the three listed guineas events that are run in the Gallop South region. The first leg was the Gore Guineas over 1350 metres, and will be followed by the Dunedin Guineas (1400 metres) on February 4^th and culminating with the Southland Guineas over 1600 metres at Ascot Park in Invercargill two weeks later. In order to win the bonus Milo was win the next two races. Milo is the fifth foal from Milk and Honey and only the second winner. He was sold by Berkley Stud at the 2009 South Island sale for $20,000 to Evelyn and John Carr and is trained for them by Michael Pitman. Milk and Honey was a $210,000 yearling but failed to achieve anything as a racehorse and went to stud in 2002. She was purchased by Berkley Stud in 2005 from the Westbury Dispersal sale for $1400 and was in foal to the Mr Prospector stallion Pyrus. That foal is Kassia a winner of one race. "We purchased her initially to send to My Halo, even though she isn't a winner she is a granddaughter of Bold'N Determined who won six group one races in the States. Milk and Honey's dam Miss Turkoman (by Turkoman) was a winner in the States as well and is a sister to Happy Holiday a multiple group winner. "The My Halo foal is Be Ready and she has run a couple of seconds this season. We then sent to Coats Choice at his first year here and that mating is Milo. It was an obvious choice as the Redoute's Choice over Woodman is proven, as Miss Finland is bred on that cross. "Type wise it was a good cross as well, as Milk and Honey needed a bit more leg, and Coat's Choice always puts size into his progeny," added Morris. Milk and Honey left a full brother to Milo this season but has not been served she will most likely visit Coats Choice again next season. Coats Choice served around 40 mares this season, his smallest book since commencing stud duties here in New Zealand. "It was a quiet year for him this year, but that is understandable as our other stallion Edenwold (Southern Halo – Best of Friends) served well over a hundred, and when one is popular the other one tends to suffer a bit. We are confident he will bounce back and get a good book next year, because it seems that all his foals have his good temperament and are popular with trainers. And now he has a stakes winner amongst his five winners. "We have some lovely colts going to the Festival sale lot 1246 - the colt out of Truly Tops, is a lovely individual from a mare that has already produced a stakes performer and, lot 1224 is also another very nice yearling, and is likewise from a mare who has already left a stakes performer," she said.

- Michelle Saba