Halls Eldorrio represents the blending of heritage, performance and vision. Bred by Ben and Jaye Hall, he is the result of a carefully considered cross that traces back four generations through the Daley family’s renowned sire line.
The story of Eldorrio began with Morrison’s Citori, a mare owned by Kate Morrison and highly valued by Jaye for her genetics. Citori offered a unique combination of traits that beautifully complemented the horses they had already bred, with excellent conformation, size, bone and a proven ability both in the bush and in the arena. She was 26 years old when she foaled Eldorrio, a remarkable achievement that cemented her place in the family’s breeding history.
Ben and Jaye already had Eltorrio, a 9-year-old full sibling to Eldorrio and one of the Hall family’s most successful mares. During her first two years in Ben’s hands, she won all her novice events and her first open by 2014, including four novice wins and two open victories. Among her standout achievements was winning the Canning Downs at Warwick in her second year of drafting, as well as claiming the aggregate prize for the Gold Cup and Canning Downs. With Eltorrio at the height of her career and proving herself across both novice and open events, Ben and Jaye were eager to replicate the cross with Playrio, ensuring the continuation of a proven line. Playrio himself was 18 years old the year Eldorrio was born, securing his genetics for another generation.
When Eldorrio arrived, Jaye was thrilled, not only was he a striking colt, but he carried forward the fourth generation of a sire line that had become a cornerstone of her family’s breeding program. His strength, type and nature were evident from the beginning. The day he was born, Ben Hall recognised his quality and said he was a colt they would have to give every chance. After breaking him in, Ben handed him over to Jaye after only four rides. From that moment, Eldorrio showed the qualities of an old, seasoned horse, smooth to ride, good-footed and carrying those traditional values often overlooked today.
Eldorrio’s early years were disrupted by injuries. At four, he cracked a sesamoid bone that required surgery and forced a year-long break, ruling him out of the Classic Challenge. But once he returned, he quickly proved his ability. In 2022, at just five years old, Eldorrio made a winning debut at Greenvale, claiming the maiden draft with back-to-back 89s under Ben Hall. Four months later, he added a novice win at Richmond with scores of 89 and 92. By 2023, he had secured another novice at Burke and Wills, further confirming his potential.
As he progressed, Jaye stepped into the saddle, guiding him towards open status. She chose to manage his workload carefully, allowing him time to mature both physically and mentally to ensure his longevity in the sport. The patience paid off. In 2024, Jaye piloted him to a 2nd place in the Stallion Draft at Winton, and in 2025 she won the Greenvale Ladies Campdraft with a score of 90. Alongside these major results, Eldorrio has consistently placed in both novice and open events, steadily building a record that reflects his natural ability and trainability.
For Jaye, Eldorrio holds deep personal significance. His eldest progeny are now five years old, and she sees clear similarities to Eltorrio, her once-in-a-lifetime mare. In her view, Eldorrio’s foals are even stronger than those by Playrio, bigger, more stylish, with exceptional minds, big stops and an innate feel on cattle. Nearly all of his progeny have won or placed in futurities as four-year-olds, proving their competitiveness at a young age without ever losing their calm, willing temperament.
One standout is Cinderella Rio, a four-year-old campaigned by Ben Hall. At her very first start in the Greenvale Futurity, she impressed with flawless runs, posting scores of 88, 88, 90 and 91 across two full rounds and two run-offs, never missing a yard or a gate. Performances like this highlight Eldorrio’s consistency as a sire, his foals carry his stamp, both in looks and ability, something Jaye values most in a stallion.
Eldorrio is more than just a competitor, he represents the culmination of generations of careful breeding and the continuation of traits treasured by the Daley and Hall families, trainability, toughness, speed and a genuine love for the job. From Morrison’s Citori and Playrio, to Eldorrio and now his own progeny, Eldorrio carries forward a bloodline that has proven time and again it can perform at the highest level.
For Jaye, he is not only a sire but a living connection to the horses and mares that have shaped her career. Eldorrio’s story is still being written, but one thing is certain, his legacy is already firmly in motion.
