Keeping a great sire down is particularly hard if he has winners to his credit of over $100 million, and is still at the top of his game.

That’s More Than Ready, one of the few international sires that are the ultimate success in both hemispheres.

Foaled in 1997, by Southern Halo, a sire line noted for its early maturity, siring two Golden Slipper winners in Sebring and Phelan Ready.

He remains the pride of Vinery in the Hunter Valley at Scone, where the latest addition to the stallion roster, All Too Hard, is waiting in readiness to commence his season at stud.

While the new kid on the block is coming for a lot of attention, like the man with the barrow, he has the job in front of him to dethrone the lord of the manor.

Last week-end was significant for Vinery, with More Than Ready represented by two winners, Juliet’s Princess at Morphettville, and Galaxy Prince, scoring at Belmont Park in Perth.

It was also a red letter day for Testa Rossa, siring his 500^th individual winner, a mile stone certainly worthy of recognition.

Tessa Rossa commenced his stud career at Yallambee Stud in Victoria, before being located to Vinery, overall he has sired 45 Stakes winners earning $50,853,583, almost $12 million of that was earned in France and Asia.

Excites, also found his way into the action, when Minh Khai won at Warwick Farm a few days earlier.

He is a handy sire getting his share of winners, he won the Sires Produce Stakes at Randwick and ran some notable placings in Stakes races, he is a son of Danewin, a dual Derby placegetter, from Staging, an outstanding race mare, plus a proven stud matron, best described as the perfect dual purpose mare.