Although he had already had two restricted seasons at stud in NSW, the impressively performed and bred Danehill product Manner Hill has been very well received this year in his first appearance in Victoria, where he his poised to look after a good quality book of over 100 mares.

Manner Hill is one of two former NSW sires which prominent racehorse owner and breeder Danny Rose has installed as foundation sires at his Cherokee Rose Stud at Lancefield.The other is the bold looking black representative of the Star Kingdom male line Vitrinite, a good performer up to Group1 level by the Bletchingly sire Lord Ballina and from the Centaine mare Centrepiece. Vitrinite has had four runners to date including Every Nite, a winner at Tamworth NSW, on Melbourne Cup day and earlier second at the Gold Coast.

Both Manner Hill and Vitrinite were secured this year from the Marheines, the very successful breeders who have the Stratheden Stud, the initial home at Tamworth for these two young sires.

The family were involved in the ownership of the Gai Waterhouse trained Manner Hill and gave him a small number of mares when he was retired from racing on the eve of the 2003 breeding season.

A tough, versatile performer from 1000 to 2400 metres, Manner Hill had won six races including appearances at Randwick, Rosehill Gardens, Canterbury and Flemington, the highlights being successes in the AJC Craven Plate and STC Manion Cup. In addition he was runner up in seven events, earned prize money up to Group1 level and was unlucky not to have won his first four starts.

A brother to Moonee Valley Oaks winner Dandify, Manner Hill is not only by the awesome sire of sires Danehill but he is from one of the greatest racemares put to him, Mannerism. She won12 races (seven stakes) and $1.7million with the efforts including wins in the Caulfield Cup, Futurity Stakes and South Australasian Oaks.

Brian Russell Bloodstock Media Service