Dalasan retired, stud career beckons

South Australian pin-up horse Dalasan will stand as a stallion at Victoria's Riverbank Farm in 2023 after connections officially called time on his racing career.

The son of Dalakhani finished unplaced in the Listed C.S. Hayes Cup (1600m) at Morphettville last Monday and, while he emerged from the race without injury or issue, his owners and trainers proactively decided that his future is in the breeding barn.

The decision brings the curtain down on a 41-start racing career that yielded eight wins and more than $3.5 million in prizemoney.

The Leon Macdonald and Andrew Gluyas-trained galloper emerged as a serious talent during his three-year-old season with five Stakes wins from 1200m to 2035m, including the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m), Group 3 Spring Stakes (1200m) and the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m).

Incredibly, he ran in 22 G1 races, filling minor placings in the South Australian Derby (2500m), Doncaster Mile (1600m), Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) and The Epsom (1600m).

Earlier this season, Dalasan wound back to the clock to win the Listed Leon Macdonald Stakes (1400m) on his home track at Morphettville.

Macdonald said the entire had shown well above-average talent from the minute he set foot in his stable and was unlucky not have landed a G1 win during his career.

"He showed talent from the first day I had him," the Hall of Fame trainer said.

"I couldn't believe it because I got him ready as a two-year-old but thinking that the way he was bred, he was going to want a bit of time and some more ground.

"But I said to his owner, Harry Perks, that I had to run him because he was doing so well in training and was ready to go.

"He came out and won his first two races over 1000m and 1050m and then he went to the VRC Sires' and to be honest, he should've won that.

"His best win was probably the Danehill Stakes as a three-year-old, wasn't it.

"He was unlucky in a Caulfield Guineas - putting blinkers on him didn't help and Hugh (Bowman) decided to go forward and he was just in no-man's land.

"But he made up for that in the Carbine Club at Flemington a few weeks later."

Macdonald said he was proud of the horse's achievements and is already looking forward to training his offspring.

"He was one of the favourites around the stable," Macdonald said.

"I'm pretty proud about what he was able to achieve and proud that he retires sound.

"There isn't really any sadness because I think he'd had enough and the time was right.

"I've already got a mare ready to send to him later this year."

Riverbank Farm's Caroline Osborne said she is delighted to add the multiple Stakes winner to a stallion roster that includes Redente, Prince Of Caviar and Boulder City.

"We are very excited to have the opportunity to stand Dalasan at Riverbank Farm and offer him to Victorian breeders," Osborne said.

"He is bred on the successful Dalakhani/Sadlers Wells cross and with his success on the racetrack I believe he will be very attractive to many breeders."

Dalasan will stand at an introductory service fee of $5500.