Group 1 spring hopes for undefeated colt

Cover image by Dan Himbrechts courtesy of AAP Photos

Exciting youngster Peltzer showed good gate speed to from a wide gate to get to the front and he travelled comfortably before sprinting clear 300 metres off the post and strolled home in Kerrin McEvoy’s hands by 4l.

Ryan has long held a high opinion of Peltzer and is keen to set him for spring features, including the G1 Golden Rose S. and the G1 Caulfield Guineas.

To that end, the Rosehill horseman is happy to pass up the opportunity for a crack at the G1 JJ Atkins S. at Eagle Farm and will send the colt for a break.

Peltzer won his first start at Kembla Grange in April and then came to town for another clear-cut victory at Randwick a fortnight ago.

“He skipped through the ground without a problem and handled it on the bridle and kept picking up,” McEvoy said.

“Gerald said he has improved since his first city win and so it proved. He’s a strong horse and only going to get better. He’s three for three and handles cut in the ground well.”

Chris Waller’s Overlord (Sebring) ran on gamely in the straight, but never looked a winning chance and his stablemate Achiever (Pride Of Dubai) also boxed on well enough for third.

Bred by the Defiant Thoroughbred Breeding Trust, Peltzer was purchased out of Mill Park Stud’s draft by Ryan and David Raphael at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $260,000.

He is a son of Miss Otto (Elusive Quality {USA}), who is a half-sister to the dam of the South African stakes-winner Crown Towers (Camelot {GB}), and a close relative of the Listed Adelaide Guineas winner So We Are (So You Think {NZ}).

Operation a success

Surgery was necessary to get the best out of Immortal Love (Snitzel) and he showed the benefit of that course of action at Flemington where he coped with a heavy track to coast to victory.

The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained youngster had been a midweek winner on debut at Echuca and coped with a rise in class in sterling fashion by coasting away with the Tom Melbourne Trophy.

Bred and raced by United Syndications, Immortal Love had showed early ability as a colt, but then disgraced himself at a couple of trials so went under the knife.

“He’s one of Peter Creighton’s homebreds and the best thing he did was to geld it when asked even though he’s got a good pedigree and by a very good stallion,” Price said.

“He wasn’t going to be much good as a colt this horse, but very happy for Peter. I guess it’s one of those days when if they handle it they are going to win like that.”

In the hands of Craig Newitt, Immortal Love raced on the leader’s quarters to the turn and was left in charge of affairs soon after. He held a strong gallop to have 3.5l on the favourite Khoekhoe (Turffontein) at the finish with Indictment (Street Boss {USA}) taking third.

“It’s good to have Craig back and he was here this morning at 5am and rode one after another for a couple of hours,” Price said. “He’s going to all the meetings and he’s riding well.

“I did say don’t be in front at the top of the straight, I’m not sure if he heard that or not, but the leader feinted so what could he do.

“That’s Craig. He’s an aggressive rider and he puts them there and gets the best out of them and suits my horses I guess.”

Newitt successfully plied his trade for many years in Victoria before he made a lifestyle choice to move his family back to Tasmania in 2017. When racing shutdown there due to the coronavirus, he quickly made the decision to shift temporarily back to Melbourne.

Immortal Love is a son of Loveyamadly (Bel Esprit) who won six of her 14 starts from Price’s stable, including the Listed Abell S. and was runner-up in the G3 Geoffrey Bellmaine S. All three of her foals to race have been winners.

She is a half-sister to a pair of Group 3 winners in Lite’n In My Veins (Henrythenavigator {USA}) and Hi World (High Chaparral {Ire}).