Some days everything goes right, some days everything goes wrong. This past Saturday everything went right.
First up to bat was Vancouver, who was both bought by JHB in conjunction with Gai Waterhouse and in whom also JHB obtained a share in on behalf of Edmund and Belinda Bateman after the colt had been an impressive winner of the Breeders’ Plate. The colt faced a quality, select field in the Group 2 Todman Stakes at Royal Randwick, notably recent Group 2 Silver Slipper winner Headwater. In the race a quality colt became a potential superstar as Vancouver produced a performance out of the very top drawer to simply destroy his rivals and bound clear in the manner of a top, top class horse. Gai’s handling of this colt has been nothing short of outstanding, always with the Golden Slipper and Triple Crown in mind. His owners, Barbara & Francis Kennedy, Angelo & Alison Konstantatos, Julia Ritchie, David & Susan Healey and Edmund & Belinda Bateman should be proud and excited in equal measure as their colt will line up in the Golden Slipper firmly as the horse to beat. For a two-year-old to beat the juvenile record and be within touching distance of the track record proper at a circuit so historic as Royal Randwick marks Vancouver as something very special.
Second to the crease was Wandjina in the Group 1 Australian Guineas at Flemington. This colt by stallion sensation Snitzel was an outstanding yearling, secured by JHB on behalf of Edmund and Belinda Bateman for $1 million at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale and had won the Group 3 C.S. Hayes Stakes on his previous start. Wandjina has come of age this prep, and blossomed into a colt who is at the very top of the tree and demonstrated that to tremendous effect with a performance marked as much by toughness as it was by brilliance. Breaking brilliantly, Wandjina quickly took control of the race and gave a relentless display of galloping, quickening off a fast pace and putting two lengths on his rivals in the manner of an exceptional colt. The others were entitled to close on him late, but to do all the work and sprint away from a class field in 33.37 for his final 600m marks Wandjina as a colt as being at the top of the tree. All credit goes to Edmund and Belinda Bateman for having faith in their colt who has rewarded them greatly in becoming a high-class stallion prospect, to Gai Waterhouse once again, who had him cherry ripe and to Brett Prebble for an outstanding front-running ride. Special mention and commiserations go to Damien Oliver who has been an instrumental part of Wandjina’s preparation, riding him in all of his fast work and jump outs as well as for the C.S. Hayes win – he was unable to take the ride on Saturday due to suspension, so here’s hoping that he’ll get another chance to get a Group 1 win on this exciting colt.
Third stakes winner of the day was Nayeli, another purchased by JHB in conjunction with Gai Waterhouse and owned by the Kolivos family. Nayeli was a top-notch two-year-old when winner of the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes at Caulfield and on Saturday she bounced right back to her best to beat a high-class field in the Listed Fireball Stakes at Royal Randwick. Credit once again goes to Gai and the Kolivos family who have been patient with this filly after a challenging preparation last time in and Gai looks to have Nayeli right back to her best now and should be in for a productive time with this smart filly.