Redelva was a star from the South East that took on the best gallopers of the era

The red sprinter Redelva was the horse from the bush, bred in the bush and trained in the bush by South Australian Greg Varcoe. Specifically, he came from the township of Millicent in South Australia, a coastal spot not far from the state’s Victorian border. Regarded as the best galloper to ever come out of the South East, Redelva was inducted into the South Australian Hall of Fame. Redelva competed primarily in sprint races winning up to a distance of 1400m. He was a durable horse winning quality races at the highest level as a two-year-old right through to the age of eight.

He was guided throughout his career by Millicent trainer Varcoe, and steered by John Letts and Neville “Nifty” Wilson, who rode Redelva to 20 of his 21 victories. For much of that time, Varcoe had a small team in his charge, and It often only numbered between four and eight horses, which gave Redelva superb individual care. Varcoe consistently drove the horse the 900km roundtrip between Millicent and Melbourne for the big stakes races. It might have been the main reason why Redelva never made it to Sydney.

The striking chestnut’s career thrust South East racing into the limelight from his first win at Flemington on October 5th 1985, until his final victory in the Gr.1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on September 9th, 1991.The horse's big, powerful and lengthy stride was well-known throughout his career. He was also a handy horse first-up but he disliked wet weather. From 61 starts Redelva won 21 races, with 13 seconds and five thirds for prizemoney totalling $1,791,710 - a staggering amount 25 years ago. He never raced on South East tracks, starting with a second in the Fulham Park Plate at Victoria Park on September 21, 1985 and all his racing was in either Adelaide or Melbourne. Redelva was owned by Millicent’s Reg Holloway and Bill Walter.

His major wins were at Group 1 level, including the 1990 VRC Lightning Stakes at Flemington, 1991 William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley and the 1991 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield. He had three starts in consecutive years in the 1400 metre Group 2 Linlithgow Stakes (1988-1990) during the VRC Melbourne Cup carnival for two wins and a second. In a glorious six-month period from October 1990 through to March 1991, Redelva raced on nine occasions for two wins and two placings at Group 1 level, a win and a second at Group 2 level, a second in a Group 3 plus a Listed win.

His only unplaced effort in that period was a sixth in the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington (beaten only 0.75 length) behind Shaftesbury Avenue. In a stellar period for Australian racing, Redelva constantly came up against the best horses in the land, including Better Loosen Up, Special, Zeditave, Planet Ruler and Schillaci.

On the Adelaide scene, Redelva won three consecutive SAJC Spring Stakes (1988-1990), starting an odds on favourite each occasion. To this day, the SA Jockey Club recognise Redelva with a race named in his honour, a sprint race during the Adelaide Festival of Racing in the autumn. By Romantic Hope out of Delvena, Redelva’s famous colours of gold, brown maltese cross and quartered cup are still vividly recalled today by many of the South East racing fraternity. In 2006, the Listed KMPG Stakes was renamed after Redelva, and it’s remained in his honour ever since. Over 1050 metres at Morphettville, it’s an appropriate kick to one of South Australia’s smartest-ever sprinters.

RACE RECORD - 61: 21-13-5

EARNINGS - $1,791,710

1985 VRC Maribyrnong Trial Stakes - Listed

1987 SAJC City Stakes - Listed

1987 SAJC Lightning Stakes G3

1988 SAJC R.N. Irwin Stakes G2

1988 SAJC Spring Stakes G2

1988 VRC Linlithgow Stakes G2

1988 VRC Rupert Steele Stakes G2

1988 VRC Standish Handicap G3

1989 SAJC Spring Stakes G2

1990 VRC Linlithgow Stakes G2

1990 SAJC Spring Stakes G2

1990 VRC Lightning Stakes G1

1990 MVRC Stanley Wootton Stakes G3

1991 VATC Rubiton Stakes - Listed

1991 MVRC William Reid Stakes G1

1991 VATC Futurity Stakes G1

1991 VATC Memsie Stakes G2