Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
As far as debut performances go, they don’t come much better than the one produced by 2-year-old gelding Airman (I Am Invincible) at Randwick-Kensington on Wednesday.
Well-fancied by punters in the Bowermans H. (1150 metres), the Team Hawkes-trained juvenile had just two rivals behind him approaching the turn, before unleashing a dazzling turn of foot on the Soft 6 surface to triumph by 1.17l. Ithadtobezou (Zoustar) was second, with Himalaism (I Am Invincible) third.
It was quite a soft win in the end, one by a 2-year-old that looks to have an incredibly bright future.
Bred by Toowoomba couple Chris and Jane Barham, Airman was knocked down to Hawkes Racing for $500,000 at last year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. The Barhams have retained a share in the gelding, and race him in partnership with partners, including Rupert Legh (in whose colours he runs) and Darren Thomas’ Seymour Bloodstock.
“That was pretty good, we’re thrilled,” Jane Barham told TDN AusNZ.
“He was a long way back, and I wasn’t sure he was hoping to get out, but when he did, he really sprinted quickly.”
Airman as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Airman’s victory enhanced the pedigree of a family that is littered with stakes winners, and the greatness of the Barhams, who have four broodmares.
The Barhams bred Zara Bay (Fastnet Rock), Airman’s dam, who won two metropolitan races and was stakes placed and is a sister to dual hemisphere Group 1 hero Merchant Navy, who the Barhams also bred. All of their horses are foaled and raised by Segenhoe Stud, and the ones they sell are offered by the famous Hunter Valley nursery.
Zara Bay’s first foal, Saucey Horsey (So You Think {NZ}), was bred and is raced by the Barhams and she has won three of her six starts and is currently spelling. Zara Bay then had Airman, before missing to I Am Invincible. She had a Shalaa (Ire) filly in October 2020, which made $4200,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Yearling Sale. Zara Bay then had a Dundeel (NZ) colt in October 2021 and was covered by Capitalist last November.
Zara Bay when racing
Airman’s grandam, Legally Bay (Snippets), won the G3 Sweet Embrace S. and $628,050 in prizemoney. She has also thrown Group 2 victress Jolie Bay (Fastnet Rock) and Listed winner Setanta (Fastnet Rock). Jolie Bay and Setanta were both bred by the Barhams, while they purchased the Highgrove Stud-bred Legally Bay for $220,000 from the 2002 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Decidity (Last Tycoon {Ire}) is Airman’s third dam and she won two races, before leaving three stakes winners – Group 1 heroine Bonaria (Redoute’s Choice), Group 3 victor Time Out (Rory’s Jester) and Legally Bay.
Barham was full of praise for Peter O’Brien and the team at Segenhoe Stud, revealing Airman developed from a lanky foal into a beautiful colt.
“He was tall and gangly and we were amazed to see how he developed coming into the sale when Peter brought him out, because we weren’t able to travel much that year,” Barham explained. “When Peter brought him out, we were like, ‘Wow, he looks really great’, which was a bit of a surprise because his sister, Saucey Horsey, we didn’t even take her to the sales because she was so immature and tall and gangly-looking.
“When Peter (O'Brien) brought him (Airman) out, we were like, ‘Wow, he looks really great’, which was a bit of a surprise because his sister, Saucey Horsey, we didn’t even take her to the sales because she was so immature and tall and gangly-looking.” - Jane Barham
“It was a lovely surprise that he came into himself in time for the Sale.”
“John (Hawkes) trained the mare (Zara Bay) and he always said that she was going to be the star broodmare of all of them.”
Jockey William Pike, who doesn’t hand out compliments for fun, was also taken by Airman’s victory.
“That was quite nice,” Pike told Sky Thoroughbred Central post-race.
Airman winning on debut at Randwick-Kensington | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“I was a little bit worried when that leader kicked as well as it did, as I still had a bit of work to do ahead of me. As soon as I got through that gap and felt him let down, I knew I was always going to be very hard to beat.
“He’s a lovely big horse, a really nice type.
“He’s definitely not (the finished product), he’s got a lot of upside, so fingers crossed we can all nurture him through and he can make us all look good.”
“He’s (Airman) definitely not (the finished product), he’s got a lot of upside, so fingers crossed we can all nurture him through and he can make us all look good.” - William Pike
Australia’s leading sire I Am Invincible, who stands at Yarraman Park Stud for $247,500 (inc GST), has now had 15 2-year-old winners (combine for 19 wins) this season.
Contemporary breaks his duck
The James Cummings-trained juvenile Contemporary (Exceed And Excel) broke through for a well-deserved victory at Randwick-Kensington on Wednesday.
Winless in five previous attempts, the Godolphin homebred colt won the TAB H. (1150 metres, for colts and geldings) emphatically. Ramones (Zoustar) was 3.12l back in second, while Bo Bo Beware (Dundeel {NZ}) ran third.
Contemporary winning at Randwick-Kensington | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“We have always had a good opinion of the horse, and he was our first 2-year-old runner of the season,” Godolphin stable representative, Nacim Dilmi, told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
“This win will give him a lot of confidence.”
Contemporary is out of the dual winner Memorial (Street Cry {Ire}), a half-sister to dual Group 1 victor Impending, who now stands at Darley Australia.
That duo’s dam is two-time Group 1 victress Mnemosyne (Encosta De Lago), who has also thrown stakes winners Epidemic (Lonhro) and Forget (Exceed And Excel).
Exceed And Excel, who will stand at Darley for an unchanged fee of $132,000 (inc GST), boasts seven 2-year-old winners (totalling seven wins) from 19 runners this season.
Relative of blue hen Sizzles to victory
The third of three 2-year-old races at Randwick-Kensington on Wednesday was the Ranvet H. (1150 metres) for fillies, and was won by the Annabel Neasham-trained What’s Going On (Sizzling), who defeated debutant I Am Jade (I Am Invincible) and Cruizingdafield (Deep Field).
What's Going On winning at Randwick-Kensington | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Retained to race by her breeders, who include Duncan Grimley, What’s Going On is a sister to Blazing Miss (Sizzling), a multiple stakes placegetter and winner of $469,310.
She is also a half-sister to the talented Miss Amajardan (Hinchinbrook), who won two races in her short career, and is the dam of this year’s G2 Todman S. winner Sejardan (Sebring).
From Wyong winner Jahre (Encosta De Lago), What’s Going On hails from the family of blue hen Procrastinate (Jade Hunter {USA})– a Group 3 victress that has thrown five stakes winners, including Laisserfaire (Danehill {USA}) - a multiple Group 1 heroine in South Africa.
