Hard Style Rico Records First Winner As A Sire

LUCKIE Karabitsakos didn't need to watch the win of Stylish Rico, his champ Hard Style Rico's first ever winner as a stud dog, salute at Albion Park on Sunday night.

“My phone has not stopped ringing,” said Luckie. “It's been off the hook everyone telling me about the win.”

Luckie already knew.

HARD STYLE RICO AT STUD

Stylish Rico (Hard Style Rico-Ryall) speared out to win a 331m maiden for owner Russell Wiseman and trainer Brent Kline. It was his second race start, having fallen heavily on debut in a maiden at Ipswich.

“This dog is something else,” said Brent Kline who bred the litter but sold a dog and a bitch to Wiseman at three months, and another dog to Luckie as well.

“He is such a powerful, head strong dog. The fall at Ipswich was when he was pushing through early to get to the lead. It was such a heavy fall.

“We got him checked out, found him to be fine, and switched tracks to Albion Park and you know the result.

“The fall never worried him one bit.”

Kline bred two of the first three litters sired by Hard Style Rico (Belle Infrared-Bella Rico) the sensational winner of the G1 Melbourne Cup at Sandown in track record breaking time.

“Luckie rang me when I had the first litter, out of Ryall, already sold at three months,” he said. “He said he just had to have one of Rico's pups for himself. I had kept a dog for myself, but relented and sold him to Luckie.”

Luckie says the wraps on that pup are “huge”.

“He is going to make it for sure,” said Luckie. “They are only young so I have held him back for a litter while.”

Sunday was a big day for Luckie.

“With the first of Rico's progeny winning, it was great,” he said.

“But, a pup called Rico Eclipse won at Sandown on Sunday as well and he is by Fabregas from Ricoline Lass a litter sister to Hard Style Rico.”

Brent Kline will not rush Stylish Rico.

“He's a very big dog at 34 kilos, but very head strong,” he said. “A bit of a meathead for want of a better expression.

“He will make into a very good dog but at the moment he doesn't know his own strength. Once he learns that he will be something.”

His dam, Ryall, the winner of a Hobart Maiden 1000, is a daughter of Barcia Bale and the same damline as the Elson family's famed broodbitch Regal Silver.