Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Farnicle toughs it out on debut for Waterhouse and Bott
In the famous colours of Kia Ora Stud, debutant Farnicle (Farnan) showed grit and class to secure a narrow victory in a thrilling finish at Kensington on Wednesday.
Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the well-bred colt settled off the speed, before pouncing just after balancing up in the home straight. He showed determination to hold off a late dive from the fast finishing Regulated Affair (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and the third place-getter Mednyi (Capitalist), and announce himself as a colt with real potential.
Co-trainer Adrian Bott was naturally delighted with the performance.
“We were confident in the horse coming into the race, that he’s got a lot of upside going forward, and he’s proven that today,” Bott said.
“The tempo of the race seemed to have him a bit stretched through the mid stages, it was a fast-run race, and that was the only slight concern was him being at his top for the majority of the race.
“But his class got him through today and we are really looking forward to him getting over a little bit further once he fully matures for us.”
Farnicle winning at Kensington | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Bott was also pleased with where Farnicle found himself in the running and how he responded when asked.
“He began well and showed good tactical speed, but they were running some good sectionals early, and he was at his top to hold a position where he was.
“He (Farnicle) began well and showed good tactical speed, but they were running some good sectionals early, and he was at his top to hold a position where he was.” - Adrian Bott
“But he stuck on and quickened, and that was really encouraging, signs of a promising horse going forward.”
As for what's next, the stable may take a conservative approach.
“I guess you always have Queensland as an option. I think anything here in the autumn may sort of come up a bit quick for him at this stage.
“So whether we do look to push on that far, or as I said, knowing the profile and the type of horse he is, whether we feel the job’s done this preparation and look to give him a good break and focus on his 3-year-old career, we’ll get over today first.”
Adrian Bott | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Regan Bayliss was very impressed with the effort,
“He's one of those horses that improves two or three lengths after each piece of track work and each trial, and he's still come to the races here today and got very hot and sweaty and still a little bit of a lad,” said Bayliss.
“I thought if he gets beat today, he'll improve massively and be hard to beat next start, so I think it was just a real good string to his bow to be able to win today, and you know he's got stacks of room for improvement.
“He's just got the best attitude, he switched off a treat and went through his gears really well and he'll eventually get up to 1400 metres and a mile and he's got an exciting future.”
“He's (Farnicle) just got the best attitude, he switched off a treat and went through his gears really well and he'll eventually get up to 1400 metres and a mile and he's got an exciting future.” - Regan Bayliss
For Kia Ora Stud, it was a satisfying result on many levels. Farnicle is by their G1 Golden Slipper winning stallion Farnan, was bred by the farm, presented through their draft, and is part-owned by the operation.
Shane Wright from Kia Ora said the win was especially pleasing given the colt’s background as he became Farnan's sixth individual winner.
“It was a nice win, a real solid effort,” Wright said.
“He’s always been a nice colt, and even though he drifted in the market, Adrian and Gai thought he would run a really good race.
“I guess when you come to these mid-week city races, you never know what you may come up against, and it looked like a really good field. He was very professional.”
Shane Wright | Image courtesy of Inglis
Wright was impressed with how his pedigree, combining speed and stamina, is translating on the track.
“He looks to be a bit of a combination, doesn’t he? Which is nice, he has speed but could be very effective over 1400 or 1600 metres.”
Wright also shared some background on Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}), the colt’s outstanding dam, and the journey that brought her to Kia Ora.
“We purchased her from New Zealand, and it was the first time we had used Gavelhouse. We like buying lovely Kiwi mares that have that good toughness about them.
She is a beautiful mare, great type and great temperament. She was tough; she travelled up and down from the north to the south in New Zealand and always performed.”
Jennifer Eccles (NZ) | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Jennifer Eccles who was an originally a NZ$5000 purchase as a weanling by Adrian Clark Bloodstock Consultancy, has continued to produce quality stock since producing this colt.
“She had a lovely Farnan filly that we took to Karaka. She passed in, but we are more than happy to keep her, and she’s getting early educated at the moment.
“She has a very nice I Am Invincible filly that we are happy with, and she will go to one of the major sales next year.”
Although Farnicle is by Golden Slipper winner Farnan, his pedigree on the dam's side suggests he may only improve with distance. Jennifer Eccles was crowned New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year in 2019/2020, winning the G1 New Zealand Oaks and three additional Group races.
Farnan | Standing at Kia Ora Stud
She was raced by Adrian Clark’s Challenge Thoroughbreds and was purchased by Kia Ora Stud for NZ $800,000 through Gavelhouse Plus in July 2021.
Farnicle’s pedigree also features depth beyond his dam, including stakes-performed fillies Platinum Elle (NZ) (Elnadim {USA}), Lady Tee (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), and the outstanding Waikiki (NZ) (Crested Wave {USA}), a nine-time winner with four Group-level victories.
A $600,000 yearling purchase by Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott, and Kestrel Bloodstock, Farnicle is already repaying the faith, and looks poised to develop into a serious prospect with time.
Farnicle as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Wootton Lass shows an abundance of speed and class second-up
When John Sargent saddled up Wootton Lass, a daughter of Wootton Bassett (GB), for her debut in the G2 Sweet Embrace Stakes just over three weeks ago, the signs were there that she was highly regarded. Specked in the market that day, despite a wide draw and a challenging field, the debut may not have gone to plan, but it indeed reveale what the astute trainer thought of her.
Fast-forward to Wednesday on the Kensington track, and the filly proved that faith was well placed. Showing blistering early speed from a wide gate, Wootton Lass rolled to the front and never looked back, leading all the way in a competitive 2-year-old maiden. She held off race favourite, Scrumptious (Tassort) and the fast finishing Custom (Street Boss {USA}) to claim her first win strongly.
She become Wootton Bassett's fifth individual 2-year-old winner from his first Australian crop.
Trainer John Sargent was pleased, but not surprised.
John Sargent | Image courtesy of John Sargent Racing
“I thought she was good enough to put her first-up into the Sweet Embrace, but the day got to her. She got on the go, she got galloped on and just wasn’t really herself, and it’s bought her on so much,” he explained.
“Today, she was more relaxed. Nash (Rawiller) got there nice and easily, and she performed how I expected her to at her first start.”
“Today, she (Wootton Lass) was more relaxed. Nash (Rawiller) got there nice and easily, and she performed how I expected her to at her first start.” - John Sargent
On how the race unfolded, Sargent added:
“Nash said he would be up on speed, but try and get a bit of cover. But you put the best on and that's what you get. He just let her roll to the front, and she looked comfortable there, so it’s one way to ride her.”
Jockey Nash Rawiller echoed the trainer’s confidence and believes there is more to come with time and patience.
“She has great natural talent and probably disappointed us to some degree first-up in the Group 2, but coming here today…” he paused.
“To be fair, even getting around there, I didn’t think she had trained on as I hoped, but she’s come here and showed a bit more ability, and I hope she goes for a spell now and comes back a good filly.”
Wootton Lass winning at Kensington | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
When asked whether he thought she could stretch out in distance, Rawiller was clear in his assessment:
“She’s got speed to burn. I don’t think we treat her any different right at the moment. She’s got good natural ability and a good brain, where she will learn going forward. But just at this stage, we’ll use that to her advantage, I think.
“She’s (Wootton Lass) got speed to burn. I don’t think we treat her any different right at the moment. She’s got good natural ability and a good brain, where she will learn going forward.” - Nash Rawiller
“I think now she can have a good break and come back a nice filly.”
Wootton Lass is the first foal of The Natural (Fastnet Rock), a speedy mare who won three races over sprint distances. She is a half-sister to the grand campaigner Fiveandahalfstar (Hotel Grand), a dual Group 1 winner of the BMW Stakes and Victoria Derby, and this is also the family of G1 winner El Castello (Castelvecchio).
Since producing Wootton Lass, The Natural has foaled a yearling filly by Home Affairs and a colt by Brave Smash (Jpn), though she missed to I Am Invincible last spring.
Wootton Lass as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Wootton Lass was a $375,000 purchase by Laguna Partnership and John Sargent at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and was offered by Yarraman Park Stud.
Ha’Penny Hatch does it again
Exciting 2-year-old filly Ha’Penny Hatch (NZ) (Circus Maximus {Ire}) extended her perfect record to two-from-two with a stylish front-running victory at Eagle Farm on Wednesday.
Trained by Paul Shailer and ridden by Damien Thornton, the filly was sent forward from the gates and never looked back, dictating terms and cruising to a 1.7l win in what proved to be a comfortable outing.
Shailer was pleased with how the race unfolded, noting that the pre-race expectations matched the race-day reality.
Paul Shailer | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
“On paper it looked like her race to lose really. She looked like she'd get a soft lead on paper and that's how it panned out, and Damien was able to give her a couple of nice sectionals after beginning well, and she's a pretty kind filly.
“I'm convinced she'd be a better chaser, but we just sort of elected to take bad luck out of the equation and ride her positively, and once she was in front, she looked like she got into a lovely rhythm.”
While thrilled with her development, Shailer suggested the stable may take a conservative path forward with the unbeaten filly.
“It might just be time just to give her a little break, just give her four weeks off and then there might be something at the later end of the Carnival for her,” he said.
“She's a good, nice, tough filly and she has tough New Zealand breeding, so I think she'll go on all kinds of tracks and may even get over a bit further once she learns to just relax a little bit.”
“She's a good, nice, tough filly and she has tough New Zealand breeding.” - Paul Shailer
A $33,000 purchase by Shailer Racing and Hughes Bloodstock from the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, Ha’Penny Hatch was sourced from the Wentwood Grange draft and is shaping up as a bargain buy with significant upside.
Ha’Penny Hatch (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
She is the first winner from Circus Maximus' (Ire) first New Zealand bred crop and is the second foal out of Emily Margaret (NZ) (Pins), a high-class filly who won four races including the G2 Wellington Guineas, the Listed Otago Breeders’ Stakes, and the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes.
Since producing Ha’Penny Hatch, Emily Margaret has delivered a colt foal by Circus Maximus and was served by Almanzor (Fr) last spring.
