Blessed with abundant natural talent, Picholine was one of
those fillies that always seemed to find one better on the day.
The daughter of Dehere (USA) was heavily favoured to break
her maiden at her second start but was defeated by a 10/1 shot named Ateates
who later chalked up four Group II wins and was Group 1 placed.
In a prep for the Group 1 Flight Stakes in 2000, Picholine was
sent to Newcastle by trainer Malcolm Johnston for the Group III Spring Stakes
where she ran into two crack colts in Universal Prince and Phoenix Park.
The Flight Stakes looked a bridge to far for Picholine with
the rampaging Danehill filly Unworldly sent out 4/1-on and duly landed the
prize with a minimum of fuss.
Picholine finished an honourable second two and a half-length
back with another class performer Lady Mulan a similar distance back in third.
Tragically, Unworldly's life came to an end during trackwork
a short time later while Picholine won two minor races in a further 13 starts.
Consigned to the 2003 Inglis Easter Broodmare Sale,
Picholine was knocked down to Hancock Quality Bloodstock on behalf of Harry
Perks and the Toorak Park Stud team for $160,000.
It seemed a fair enough price for a 3-time metropolitan
winner and Group 1 placed filly but what a magnificent investment it turned out
to be although it looked a long way off that in the first couple of years.
Picholine slipped the foal she was carrying by Desert Prince
(IRE) at the time of her sale then missed to Giant's Causeway (USA).
The ball started rolling in 2006 with the birth of a Reset
colt named Rebel Raider (pictured) who was sold for $150,000 at the 2007 Magic Millions
Gold Coast Yearling sale but raced for his breeders.
With five stakes wins headed by the Group 1 Victoria Derby
and Group 1 South Australia Derby, Rebel Raider gave his dam the perfect start
to her broodmare career.
It could well have been Victoria Derby winners in
successive years for Picholine when the talented Shamardal (USA) colt Shamoline
Warrior was favoured to take the classic after an impressive victory over the
Patinack pair Onemorenomore and Gathering in the in the Group III Norman
Robinson Stakes.
Sadly he broke down following the race and never recaptured
his best form.
Shamoline Warrior was a $60,000 yearling purchase for
trainer Mark Kavanagh. The third foal of Picholine, a daughter of Exceed And
Excel, made five times that when knocked down to Shadwell Stud at the 2009
Easter Yearling sale.
Named Sultah she showed she had inherited the family ability
with three wins and two seconds from her five starts before heading to the
broodmare paddocks.
When Toorak Park dispersed its bloodstock at the Inglis
Broodmare Sale in 2010, Picholine was again purchased by Hancock Quality
Bloodstock but for considerably more, $440,000.
She was carrying a brother to Rebel Raider at the time. The
new owners, Contract Racing and partners, consigned the son of Reset to the
2012 Inglis Premier Yearling sale but left the ring unsold.
Racing as Cadillac Mountain (pictured) he has won twice and was highly
enough regarded by the Peter Moody stable to contest the Group 1 Rosehill
Guineas and Group 1 ATC Derby although he failed to land a blow in both.
The fifth foal of Picholine, Lucques, makes his career debut
on Caulfield on Saturday in the Grand Hotel Frankston Hcp (1400m).
Trained by Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra, the son of the
excellent High Chaparral (IRE) did not see a sales ring and carries the colours
of his breeders.
Lucques faces some stiff competition at his first appearance
although the classically bred colt will demand plenty of attention.
