There’s still a long way to go for the 5-year-old, but the dream lives on after co-trainer Gai Waterhouse paid $310,000 for him in 2015 at the JRA Select Yearling and Foal Sale with Mt Hallowell Stud’s Craig Thompson involved in the venture.
With the prohibitive cost of purchasing a proven Japanese horse, the punt was taken in the weanling market and it’s proven a smart move.
Hush Writer began his career in France with trainer Francis-Henri Graffard and broke his maiden there and was Group 2 placed before joining Waterhouse and training partner Adrian Bott last year.
Craig Thompson of Mt Hallowell Stud
He was successful in the Listed McKell Cup in June and two runs later finished runner-up in the Listed Wyong Cup earlier this month.
“That was an excellent run. He had a wide draw and had a bit of work to do early and he stuck on, it was a very good effort,” Bott said.
Tough under pressure
Hush Writer raced handy with cover at Newcastle and he got to the front 300 metres from home and didn’t shirk his task under pressure to prevail.
“He did a great job and the genuine tempo suited him,” Bott said. “The tight, turning track at Wyong didn’t really suit him and there’s still improvement to come.
“He’ll go the G1 Metropolitan next and then we’ll make a plan after that.”
Rider Tim Clark echoed Bott’s comments and said the good clip set up in front by Mawaany Machine (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was perfect for Hush Writer.
“It was terrific, the pace was lovely throughout. It was just a nice, even gallop and he travelled well for me.
“Credit to the second and third horses they really put it to him. He likes the firmer ground so the track drying out was a bonus.”
Attention Run (Ger) (Hurricane Run {Ire}) was up with the pace throughout and she rallied gamely for second ahead of her stablemate and favourite Our Candidate (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) who made ground relentlessly from the back for third.
Deal done in Tibbie
Sweet Deal (Casino Prince) continued her rich vein of form with her third win from her last four appearances with an invaluable win for her broodmare future in the G3 Yarraman Park Stud Tibbie S.
The John Thompson-trained 5-year-old travelled sweetly for rider Nash Rawiller and they hit the front 150 metres from home to account for the Fastnet Rock-sired pair of Notation and Connemara.
“She’s a super mare and she’s been in great form for a while. She’s got a fantastic rapport with Nash and he rides her with confidence and that gives her confidence,” Thompson said.
“The ability has always been there and she’s been a bit tricky in the past, but she’s got better as she’s got older as I think all the Casino Princes do and she really deserved that stakes win.”
"She’s got better as she’s got older as I think all the Casino Princes do and she really deserved that stakes win." - Craig Thompson
Rawiller said Sweet Idea had travelled sweetly all the way and he was confident a fair way out.
“She’s an absolute ripper of a mare and always gives a kick. She got a bit lost when she got to the front and has a tendency to hang out, but she too good.”
Sweet Deal was bought out of Lincoln Farm’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale consignment for $67,500 by Boomer Bloodstock and is a daughter of Dorothy Evelyn (Royal Academy {USA}). She is a half-sister to the G3 Lightning H. winner Dance Beat (Esperanto {USA}).
Sweet Deal as a yearling
