New Zealand's Most Consistent Sire

A high class European two and three-year-old, Captain Rio won the Group 2 Criterium de Maisons-Lafitte by an amazing eight lengths over six furlongs, a win which saw him ranked as the Leading British trained 2YO of his year, and posting an Annual Timeform Rating of 122 - a figure he recorded again the following year as a three-year-old.

By leading European sire Pivotal, Captain Rio has shuttled between Ballyhane Stud in Ireland, and Westbury Stud in New Zealand, where his oldest crop are seven-year-olds of 2012. Captain Rio has enjoyed excellent success in both hemispheres during his initial years at stud with two Group 1 winners in the southern hemisphere including the 2010 VRC Oaks winner Brazilian Pulse and former Champion 2YO Il Quello Veloce.

The 2011-12 season has seen Captain Rio produce high-quality bloodstock that continue to achieve at black-type level in both New Zealand and Australia. Riomoral was dominant when claiming honours in the Group 2 Awapuni Gold Cup, promising three-year-old filly She Goes To Rio has expressed signs of serious talent when winning the Listed Canberra Guineas, Donna Cattiva winning the Listed Oaklands Plate, Art Beat taking out the Gr.3 Winter Cup and the Listed Rotorua Plate, and promising stakes placed performers Whosyourmaster, Are You Devious, River Nymph, Kaptain Kirkup and one of Macau's top three-year-olds Golden Spiritual.

Latest stakes performers for the 2012-13 racing season include Listed Matamata Cup winner Amberio, Listed Timaru Cup winner Captain Todd, and the Group 3 placed Singapore representative Touch of Gold.

Captain Rio is now the sire of 19 individual stakes winners and is one of the best valued stallions in the country. Captain Rio claimed fifth place on the NZ General Sires' Leader board for the 2011/12 season, behind O'Reilly, Thorn Park, Pins and Pentire.

* Sire of the 2010 VRC Oaks winner Brazilian Pulse
* Sire of the Champion NZ 2YO Il Quello Veloce
* Champion British 2YO Colt of 2001