Seventh Aussie Winner for Catcher in the Rye

20th July 2008

Catcher in the Rye continues to impress and after adding an Aussie bred South African winner to his tally last week, posted his seventh Australian juvenile winner this season when the Bede Murray trained Bilgola (2g Catcher in the Rye x Siembra, by Sea Swell) scored at Kembla on Saturday.

Having his second race start, Bilgola beat older horses to win the 1200 metre maiden by half a length.

Retained to race, he is the second foal of the Sea Swell mare Siembra, a minor winner of four races from an immediate family barren of Black Type.

A Group One placed, although non-stakes-winning son of Danehill, Catcher in the Rye has been the big surprise of the first season sires in Australia this year having stood at Coolmore for just two seasons at a modest fee of $5,500.

The quality of mares he got was nothing special as you can imagine at that fee, yet Catcher in the Rye is the second leading first crop Australian sire by individual winners (seven, plus one in South Africa, Mzingeli).