Little Avondale Stud’s Per Incanto has reached another memorable milestone in his decorated stallion career.
The leading son of Street Cry sired his 400th individual winner on Sunday when the Masterton nursery’s homebred Rue de Royale was successful for trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy at Bendigo.
While it was the three-year-old’s maiden victory, he showed his quality last season with runner-up finishes in the Gr.2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), the Inglis Millenium (1100m) and the A$1 million Golden Gift (1100m).
“It was really cool that it was Rue de Royale because he was the maiden with most amount of prizemoney in Australia (more than A$675,000) before he won,” Little Avondale’s Sam Williams said.
“I said at the beginning of the season that I think he (Per Incanto) could be in for his best time on the track and highlighted a number of younger horses, Rue de Royale was one and Evaporate is another.
“He’s won his first three starts this campaign and now he’s on a Caulfield Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) path.”
Rue de Royale was sold on behalf of Little Avondale by Sledmere Stud at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for A$180,000 with McEvoy Mitchell Racing and the Belmont Bloodstock Agency signing he ticket.
He is a son of the Exceed And Excel mare Urban Royal who is from the family of the multiple Group One winner Alizee, whose half-brother Astern won the Gr.1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) before retiring to stud.
The Ben, JD and Will Hayes-prepared Evaporate also went through the Sledmere draft at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale and sold to Lindsay Park for A$330,000.
He is out of the unraced Animal Kingdom mare Savanna, a half-sister to the Gr.3 Wenona Girl Quality (1200m) winner Belluci Babe.
Per Incanto’s rise through the stallion ranks has been an impressive journey after starting his career in 2011 off a $4000 service fee and rose to be champion first season sire by winners and runner-up in the two-year-old premiership in 2014-15.
A year later he was crowned champion three-year-old sire by winners and champion second season sire by winners, defeating the multiple champion Savabeel for the former title.
He has produced seven individual Group One winners, headed by dual elite level-winning mares Belclare and Roch ‘N’ Horse, and is also a two-time champion sire for winners in Hong Kong with worldwide progeny earnings of more than $84 million.
Per Incanto currently stands at $50,000 + GST and served a limited book in 2023 after suffering a leg injury in a paddock accident.
“He looks phenomenal and obviously the last 18 months have been quite tiresome for the horse because he was confined to a box for 10 months,” Williams said.
“Time has been the best healer and patience has been a virtue in this case. The vets, his groom, the farriers and all the team have done a fantastic job with him.
“Last season, he served 72 and this year he’ll cover 110 with a couple of spots still left. He has got some beautiful mares lined up.”