There is no blueprint to a successful relationship, not all roads lead to love and those that do often have a rocky start.

Benalla trainer Russell Osborne’s Sly Samba Deer this week landed one of the biggest plunges seen at the Benalla track for some time.

North-east Victoria’s Riverbank Farm is having their best run ever, with a flood of winners in the past 6 weeks from their resident stallions, led by Skilled, Anacheeva and Redente.

Cheers from Riverbank Farm, Benalla as Fiscal Fantasy stormed home to an impressive victory in last Friday’s Group 3 Manawatu Breeders Stakes at Awapuni.

They threw a silk blanket bearing the words “26 in a row” across the back of wonder mare Winx at Randwick on Saturday.

As one exceptionally famous daughter of Vegas Showgirl prepares for her maiden season at stud, a quality son of the same very celebrated broodmare has already commenced his sophomore season in the Victorian stallion ranks.

Ethan Brown made a welcome return to the winner's stall at Benalla on Monday, little more than three months after taking a break from the sport.

A wonderful addition to the Riverbank roster” is how Dr Caroline Duddy describes the Group One galloper Bon Aurum who takes residence at the Benalla stud this spring; standing alongside Redente, Boulder City, Von Costa de Hero, Skilled, Wayed Zain and Anacheeva.

At Hawkesbury north-west of Sydney, Riverbank Agistment's beautifully-bred Gr1-winning stallion Skilled (Commands-Dextrous, by Quest For Fame) added a Listed race success when 5YO Australian-bred mare Pecans (Skilled-Walnut, by Procol Harum) resumed from a four month break to win the $150,000 Listed Ladies Day Cup (1400m) for 3YO+, defeating Burning Passion & Fabrizio.

Spring is well and truly in the air at Riverbank Farm where Russell Osborne and Dr Caroline Duddy have done such a good job building up a loyal client base that they have been able to add two new stallions to the roster.