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Stallion Niagara Brings Sire's Family to New Zealand

Stallion Niagara Brings Sire's Family to New Zealand

For much of the second half of the first decade of the 21st century, the Australian sire's premiership was fought out between Encosta de Lago (AUS) (TrueNicks) and Redoute's Choice (AUS) (TrueNicks), the duo eventually claiming two titles apiece. Now New Zealand breeders will have the opportunity to breed to a stallion who combines bloodlines tied to both of those stallion stars, in the shape of Lime Country Thoroughbreds' new sire Niagara (AUS) (TrueNicks). The stallion, who will stand for $5,000 plus GST in his initial season, is now available on TrueNicks.

Niagara gained a group stakes win when defeating a field of 14 in the Ajax Stakes (Aus-II) over 7 1/2 furlongs (1500m). He took second in the Sandown Guineas (Aus-II) over a mile and in the six-furlong (1200m) Eskimo Prince Stakes. He showed he could carry his speed with a third in the 10-furlong (2000m) Norman Robinson Stakes (Aus-III).

As we've mentioned, Niagara's sire Encosta de Lago has twice been champion sire in Australia, and he has 94 stakes winners to his credit, including champions Racing to Win, Alinghi, Mnemosyne, and Delago Deluxe. He is also responsible for the brilliant sprinter Northern Meteor, who tragically died a few days before the conclusion of a 2012-13 season which would see him crowned champion freshman sire.

Niagara's dam, River Song, is by Fusaichi Pegasus (TrueNicks) out of the Danehill mare Twyla. Since Twyla is out of Dancing Show, this pedigree line means that she is three-quarters related to Redoute's Choice as well as to Australian Guineas (Aus-I) winner and sire Al Maher (AUS) (TrueNicks), and to Redoute's Choice's group I-winning brother Platinum Scissors. Niagara is also closely related to the AJC Sires Produce Stakes (Aus-I) victor Manhattan Rain (AUS) (TrueNicks), who is by Encosta de Lago out of Shantha's Choice, who in addition to being dam of Redoute's Choice and Platinum Scissors is also a granddaughter of Dancing Show. Twyla is also a half sister to successful sires Hurricane Sky and Umatilla, so Niagara is certainly not short of stallions in his female line!