Skyhook’s Rosebud Victory Reinforces the Race’s Stallion-Making Record

The Listed Rosebud at Rosehill has quickly established itself as one of Sydney’s key springboard races for three-year-olds. First run in 2011, the 1100-metre contest has consistently produced colts who transition from the racetrack to the breeding barn, shaping stallion rosters across Australia.

On Saturday, Written Tycoon’s colt Skyhook joined the Rosebud honour roll with a commanding performance under weight, strengthening both his stallion credentials and the reputation of the race itself.

Skyhook’s Performance

Carrying 60.5 kilograms — the highest impost in the field — Skyhook sat at the rear under jockey Kerrin McEvoy before unleashing a strong wide run to overhaul Grand Prairie in the closing stages. He scored by half a length, with Golden Slipper favourite Pallaton two lengths further back in third.

The victory added to his Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes success as a two-year-old and brought his record to two wins and two placings from five starts, all at black type level. The conditions added weight to the performance: the race was run on heavy ground, a surface not traditionally favourable to Written Tycoon progeny.

The Rosebud as a Stallion Indicator

For breeders, the Rosebud has become a notable race to monitor. In the past 14 editions, eight winners have gone on to stud careers, including:

Eurozone (2013) – retired to Newgate before later moving to Bellereve Stud.
Scissor Kick (2014) – Arrowfield stallion later exported to France.
Sebring Sun (2015) – retired to Glenthorne Park and River Ridge.
Thronum (2016) – stood at Sun Stud in Victoria.
Menari (2017) – retired to Newgate, though later sidelined by fertility issues.
Sandbar (2018) – now standing at Kooringal Stud, NSW.
Anders (2020) – another Written Tycoon colt, standing at Widden Stud.
Paulele (2021) – retired to Darley at Kelvinside.

The strike rate is notable: eight stallions from 14 years, or over 55%. Exceptions include geldings such as Dawn Passage (2019), Zoukerino (2022), and Gatsby’s (2024), along with fillies Aerobatics (2011) and Tiz Invincible (2023), who transitioned to broodmare careers.

This pattern underlines the Rosebud’s role as more than a seasonal sprint. It functions as an early test for colts with pedigree appeal, often identifying future sires before their three-year-old campaigns unfold.

Pedigree Analysis: Written Tycoon x Madame Pauline

Skyhook’s pedigree places him firmly within the mould of Rosebud winners who appeal commercially as future stallions.

By Written Tycoon, a Champion Sire whose progeny include Group 1-winning stallions Ole Kirk and Capitalist, Skyhook is the second foal from the Redoute’s Choice mare Madame Pauline. She is a three-quarter sister to Group 3 winner Anders — another Rosebud winner who now stands at Widden — and to the stakes winner Ostraka, who also hails from this immediate family.

The Written Tycoon–Redoute’s Choice cross continues to show potency, blending speed and commercial appeal. Skyhook’s victory adds to the influence of this nick, reinforcing its significance for breeders.

Impact Profile Insight

Skyhook’s pedigree is further reinforced by his Impact Profile, which highlights the strength of key crosses in his background.

The Redoute’s Choice influence shows strongly, with high ratings when paired with Written Tycoon (6.0) and Viveza (6.2), suggesting proven compatibility in this sire line.
The Danehill line also contributes positively, reflected in above-average scores across Written Tycoon (2.8), Iglesia (2.4), and Viveza (2.8).
Additional insufficient data from War Emblem and Appealing Story appear consistently across the profile, further highlighting the possible potential for growth.

What this demonstrates is a pedigree that not only carries commercial appeal but also evidence of repeated successful crosses, a hallmark of stallion potential.

Training and Campaign Management

Trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou have mapped a path for Skyhook that mirrors Menari’s in 2017. That colt won the Rosebud, then took the Group 2 Run to the Rose before contesting the Golden Rose. Skyhook’s campaign is expected to follow the same spacing: four weeks into the Run to the Rose, then two weeks into the Group 1 Golden Rose at Rosehill.

Ryan noted concerns over Skyhook’s suitability to wet tracks before the Rosebud, but the colt handled conditions with authority. That adaptability strengthens his profile as a versatile racehorse — a trait that can add value in stallion discussions.

Historical Perspective

The Rosebud’s record highlights an important dynamic: it disproportionately produces stallions when won by colts with commercial pedigrees. When the winner is a gelding or filly, their trajectory is naturally different, but the colts often progress toward careers at stud.

The consistent transition of Rosebud winners to stallion rosters gives breeders a reason to track the race closely. For investors and bloodstock managers, it provides early insights into which colts might command commercial attention.

Implications for Breeders

Skyhook’s Rosebud win reinforces the stallion-making credentials of the race. His pedigree links to Written Tycoon, Anders, and Ostraka provide depth, while his ability to win under weight on unfavourable ground adds performance credibility.

For breeders, the takeaway is clear: the Rosebud continues to identify colts with the right blend of pedigree, performance, and commercial appeal. With more than half of its winners since inception now standing at stud, it is a race with genuine influence on the Australian stallion landscape.

Skyhook’s Listed Rosebud victory is significant not only for his connections but for the wider breeding industry. It underlines the race’s reputation as a stallion-making platform and places Skyhook on a trajectory toward higher honours in the spring.

As he heads toward the Golden Rose, breeders will watch closely. If history is any guide, the Rosebud may once again have unveiled a colt with the credentials to influence Australian breeding for years to come.