First Stakes winner for Riverbank Farm’s Skilled

Russell and Caroline Osborne’s Riverbank Farm had something of a post Christmas surprise when the Joe Pride trained Pecans became the first stakes winner for her sire Skilled.

Pecans, a four year old mare, won the $150,000 Group 3 Gosford RSL Club Belle Of The Turf Stakes over 1600 metres.

“We were thrilled to see Pecans win, and Skilled has been a beautiful addition to the farm this season. He is a beautiful horse to handle and, having generated good interest from breeders, he has covered some quality mares,” Caroline said.

“He has been actually going quite well of late, and has had a few winners, but by getting a stakes winner, it really puts him back on the radar and makes the breeders take notice.”

“We are very excited about what the future might hold for Pecans, I think she looks very promising,” Caroline added.

Pecans was a clever purchase for trainer Joe Pride and Tricolours Syndications at the Inglis August Thoroughbred Sale for $50,000 as an ex-Godolphin galloper.

At the time of her sale Pecans had just a solitary win, a maiden at her first start, but being a runner-up in the three starts before her sale, she caught Pride’s eye as a capable “work-in-progress”.

Just over a fortnight after her sale, Pecans finished second at Canterbury, before going on to secure successive wins at Gosford and Warwick Farm.

Leading into the Belle Of The Turf Stakes, the daughter of Skilled was hard fit after a running second only five days earlier. Pecans took the lead at the 250 metres and held off the barnstorming finish of the Three Bridges bred Sedanzer by a half-neck.

“She’s going really well, and we are very happy with her. That’s five runs for the prep, with three wins and two seconds. She’ll have a little break now, she’s earned that,” Pride said.

Skilled was a winner of the Group 1 AJC Champagne Stakes and is a son of the mighty stallion Commands. He is out of the Quest for Fame mare Dextrous who has also produced Group 2 winners Ambidexter and Sidestep. Both also stand at stud now.

Pecans herself is a half-sister to the Listed MRC Merson Cooper Stakes winner Secession (Lonhro) and the stakes-placed Purdy (Lonhro).

Skilled stood at Riverbank Farm in 2017 for a fee of $3,300.