Miss Finland is by the boom sire, Redoute’s Choice, so there probably isn’t a lot we need to say about that sire. Her female line though is almost certainly what interests breeders most. The filly’s first four dam-sires read like a who’s who of international bloodlines. They are in order Woodman, Sadler’s Wells, Kris and Mill Reef. To date, we have not seen the influence of these stallions reach the heights in Australia that they have in the Northern Hemisphere.

Woodman was hardly a great success here, but overall he sired almost 100 stakes winners including horses of the quality of Bosra Sham. He has been represented by sons such as Hector Protector and Way Of Light in Australia to date with little real success, although the progeny of Hawk Wing have yet to reach the track.
We have already seen Woodman as the damsire of more than 70 Stakes Winners internationally including More Than Ready, Lad Of The Manor and now Miss Finland. Given the quality of mares he covered in Australia, there is little doubt that this list will continue to grow significantly.

Sadler’s Wells is considered a superior sire to Danehill in Europe. His record is outstanding, siring almost 250 stakes winners at a rate of almost 20% stakes winners to runners. In spite of this success in Europe, he has not reached these heights in Australia. He has had a range of sons to stand at stud here including King’s Theatre, Scenic, Barathea, King Of Kings, Song Of Tara and Latarmiss who have met with mixed success. Currently Galileo and Savoire Vivre are going well with their first crops of runners, and unproven sires like High Chaparral and Refuse To Bend are still to be represented by runners. As a broodmare sire in Australia we have seen little of him to date apart from a stallion called Falak who had little success. Internationally we have seen runners such as Sakhee born from a Sadler’s Wells mare and no doubt his importance in this role will continue to grow.

Mill Reef is another stallion who is well respected overseas without having a significant impact in Australia. Marooned is undoubtedly his best performed son to have stood in Australia and NZ. Nevertheless, Mill Reef is probably best known as the dam-sire of Last Tycoon, a stallion who continues his influence through the performance of a leading Queensland sire, Iglesia, among others.

Kris has probably not had much opportunity in Australia to date, although his son, Creese, stood in NSW and is probably best know as the sire of the good mare, Vonanne. As a damsire though, he is poised to make an impression here with the likes of Okawango and Invincible Spirit about to have runners on the track in the coming seasons. Savoire Vivre, the surprisingly successful son of Sadler’s Wells is also from a Kris mare.