Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
New Zealand-born trainer John Sargent has lavished praise on Per Incanto (USA), labelling him one of the best value-for-money stallions in Australasia.
Sargent made that claim after his 2-year-old filly Photographics (NZ) scored an impressive victory on debut in Race 1 at Warwick Farm.
Photographics is the first runner by Per Incanto that Sargent has had, but he insists it won’t be the last.
“She’s a very promising filly by Per Incanto,” Sargent told The Thoroughbred Report.
“This is my first one, but I will definitely be going to the sales at Karaka in January and buying another one.”
“This (Photographics) is my first one (runner by Per Incanto), but I will definitely be going to the sales at Karaka in January and buying another one.” - John Sargent
Photographics was Per Incanto’s 18th winner in Australia this season. Other victorious progeny on this side of the Tasman this term include two promising 4-year-olds from the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable, Gringotts (NZ), Jimmysstar (NZ) and the Mike Moroney-trained 3-year-old Oak Hill (NZ).
In New Zealand, where he stands, Per Incanto is fourth in the Sires’ Premiership, with earnings of NZ$807,330. The stallion has 17 winners and 26 wins.
Per Incanto is also doing a good job in Asia; he has had 12 wins in Hong Kong this season and sits eighth on the sires’ table, while in Singapore he is fifth and in Malaysia he sits seventh.
Per Incanto (USA) | Standing at Little Avondale Stud
The son of Street Cry (Ire) currently stands at a fee of NZ$50,000 plus GST.
Per Incanto boasts seven individual Group 1 winners globally, and his 28 stakes winners have combined for 49 stakes wins.
“He’s produced Lost And Running, Roch ‘N’ Horse, Little Brose, you name them. He’s such a good sire,” said Sargent.
“Per Incanto has quite a few in at Karaka and I’ll be hunting for one of them.
“Per Incanto has quite a few (yearlings) in at Karaka and I’ll be hunting for one of them.” - John Sargent
“They’re not expensive horses to buy, they’re very viable for here in Australia.
“He has done a super job, given his service fee.”
John Sargent | Image courtesy of Ash Brennan
There is no shortage of Per Incantos catalogued for the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock NZB Premier Yearling Sale (Books 1 and 2), including a sister to Photographics - Lot 818, who will be consigned by Little Avondale Stud for Fusion Thoroughbreds and Brown Thoroughbreds.
Little Avondale Stud, Rich Hill Stud, Jamieson Park, Haunui Farm, Elsdon Park and Blandford Lodge are just some of the vendors to offer yearlings by the Group 3 winner at Karaka.
A family affair
Photographics is the fourth foal of the winning Fast ‘N’ Famous mare Los Vargas (NZ) and she herself is a half-sister to the Group 3 victress Karavali (NZ) (Nadeem) and the Listed scorer Sir Nate (NZ) (Nadeem).
The filly’s second dam, Just Diamonds (NZ) (No Excuse Needed {GB}), was a winner at two at 1100 metres and she is a half-sister to Analyst (Deputy Governor {USA}) - a multiple Listed winner in Macau.
Photographics was bred by Jim Barlow and Tony Joyce’s Fusion Bloodstock and Max Brown of Brown Bloodstock, before being consigned by Little Avondale Stud at the 2023 NZB Premier Yearling Sale (Book 1). The filly was passed in after failing to reach her NZ$100,000 reserve.
Photographics (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Sargent is leasing Photographics with his wife and two children.
“A friend of mine, Jim Barlow, bred her, and I’ve leased her off him until she’s five,” Sargent explained.
“Hopefully, there’s some good times in front of us.
“The whole family is in it and it’s a great start.”
A bright future
Photographics - a Randwick trial winner on December 11 - was popular with punters, sent off at $4.40 in the seven-horse field.
The filly jumped well from the inside gate and showed good speed, hunting up to hold the fence and make the early running. She cornered for home in front, before Miss Piera (Pierata) loomed large. Just when it looked like Miss Piera had her measure, Photographics, under apprentice Molly Burke, found plenty on the Heavy 9.
Photographics (NZ) returns to scale after winning at a very wet Warwick Farm | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Strong to the line, Photographics held a 1.17l margin, with Miss Piera clinging onto second from the fast-finishing Husk (Calyx {GB}).
“She’s a very promising filly. We ticked the box, she can handle a wet track,” Sargent said.
“She’s a lovely filly and starting to mature a bit.
“I’ll give her a few easy days and sit down to map out what we do with her. She’s a very promising filly.”
“She’s (Photographics) a lovely filly and starting to mature a bit. I’ll give her a few easy days and sit down to map out what we do with her. She’s a very promising filly.” - John Sargent
Asked if he thinks Photographics has the ability to measure up in some of the better 2-year-old races in the autumn, Sargent said: “She’s not an overly robust filly, but she’s a good doer.
“We'll aim her towards some better fillies’ races, probably at the end of January and into February.
“She’s a natural 2-year-old. She showed that from the first time she galloped, we just had to get her to relax.”
