AMALFI, the 2001 Victoria Derby winner, has a new career as a sire for the Packer family's polo ponies at Ellerston, near Scone, NSW.
The strongly built 13-year-old stallion's wins included the Group 2 Norman Robinson (2000m) and then the Victoria Derby (2500m).
He is classically bred as a stayer, a son of Carnegie, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner. But like many staying-bred stallions in Australia, he was ignored by breeders looking only for sprinters.
Before his move to Ellerston in 2010, he served only nine mares and had only limited patronage over six seasons at George and Felicity Fraser's Ilala stud at Scone.
Yet from 34 starters he has produced 20 winners, so he should be able to put some speed and stamina into the Packer family's polo ponies.
