Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Plagiarism (Written By) arrived at the 2025 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale carrying a cross RedFox Racing already liked. Once Tracey Rook and bloodstock manager Bill Duncan saw him move, the pedigree page became considerably harder to resist.
The $120,000 purchase had to wait until Saturday to break his maiden, but he did it in the G3 Up & Coming Stakes at Randwick after spending much of his juvenile season in stakes company. The victory took his earnings beyond $280,000 and gave RedFox another feature winner following Fully Lit (Hellbent), its 2024 R. Listed Inglis Millennium winner.
“It was an astute buy from RedFox Racing. He was a good, sharp looking yearling that has obviously gone on with it, which is important,” Widden Stud’s Matt Comerford said.
“He’s a late September foal and he obviously showed an ample amount of ability to continually be racing in stakes races at two. He hit the crossbar a few times as a 2-year-old, being a maiden still, and on Saturday he justified that in a big way.
“He's come back as a bigger, stronger and more furnished horse now, and he looks like he's definitely going to go on with it.”
Matt Comerford | Image courtesy of Inglis
A fluent mover with pedigree to suit
His pedigree, being out of Profiterole (Snitzel) a winning full sister to Listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes and Listed VRC Football Stakes winner Nomothaj, was one of the reasons RedFox Racing wanted him on their list.
When his physical type matched up to his pedigree, and the price was right, it was a done deal.
“When we saw him as a yearling, he just moved so fluently. He was such a beautiful walker, and we thought he looked nice and mature, and his pedigree was beautiful. He’s out of Profiterole, a well performed mare who was a winner at 1400 metres, and she’s a sister to Nomothaj who was a very good 2-year-old,” Tracey Rook of RedFox Racing said.
“When we saw him (Plagiarism) as a yearling, he just moved so fluently. He was such a beautiful walker, and we thought he looked nice and mature, and his pedigree was beautiful.” - Tracey Rook
“Everything indicated that he was going to be an early 2-year-old from his body, his composition, his type, his attitude, and from his pedigree.”
Profiterole | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
This is also the extended family of the G1 Galaxy Handicap winner Mariamia (Toronado {Ire}) and the G1 Victorian Derby winner Warning (Declaration Of War {USA}). Profiterole has a yearling colt by Jacquinot and is due to foal to Written By in October.
“He ran in the Golden Gift on debut and continued to be a fantastic 2-year-old, running at the highest level. He was unlucky throughout his 2-year-old season where he was there, but not quite there, but geez, I'd prefer to be there than not there at all.”
First seen as a pre-Christmas 2-year-old, Plagiarism debuted in the Golden Gift, running third to stablemate Revengeance (Hellbent) who resumed in Saturday’s G3 San Domenico Stakes. Spicy Miss (Trapeze Artist), who would win the G2 Sweet Embrace Stakes later in the season for trainer Ciaron Maher, was second that day.
Plagiarism | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Back in the autumn, Plagiarism ran in the R. Listed Inglis 2YO Millennium, G2 Skyline Stakes and G3 TL Baillieu Stakes.
Written By and the Waterhouse Bott team
Of Written By’s seven stakes winners, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have also trained G2 Silver Slipper winner Straight Charge, who now stands at stud in Western Australia. The Novelist won the G3 BJ McLachlan Stakes for the stable, while The Playwright won the G3 Widden Stakes.
“We have a fantastic partnership with Waterhouse Bott team. Bill (Duncan), my bloodstock manager, and I loved this horse (at the sales) and when we got to our final list, we consulted with Gai and Adrian and the team and they loved him too. It’s a great feeling, knowing you’ve bought a horse that everyone at the stable is excited to have in their barn,” Rook said.
“We have a fantastic partnership with Waterhouse Bott team. Bill (Duncan), my bloodstock manager, and I loved this horse... we consulted with Gai and Adrian and the team and they loved him too.” - Tracey Rook
Writen By | Standing at Widden Stud
“Gai and Adrian have such a fantastic record with the Written By’s. They do really well in the stable. I think they've had a lot of the top Written By’s and he's such an underrated stallion. I really do love the Written By progeny.”
Comerford also pointed out this association with the stable, adding in 3-year-old filly By Choice, who was stakes-placed last season at two.
“Another hat has to go to Gai and Adrian. They’ve had a real ability to be able to harness these horses. By Choice is a filly (with the stable) that placed in the Magic Millions, Sweet Embrace and Magic Night,” Comerford said.
Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Written By over Snitzel is a spectacular cross
Written By has seven stakes winners, and Plagiarism is the fourth out of a Snitzel mare, something that Rook was aware of at yearling sale time.
“Yes, we were aware. It is a very high percentage rate of winners with the Snitzel cross,” Rook said.
“Yes, we were aware. It is a very high percentage rate of winners (for Written By progeny) with the Snitzel cross.” - Tracey Rook
Tracey Rook | Image courtesy of Inglis
Plagiarism, The Novelist, The Playwright and dual New Zealand Listed winner Bona Sforza are all out of Snitzel mares, as is Listed Blue Diamond Preview (c&g)-placed Scorsese.
“It's an incredible cross. It’s one of the most phenomenal statistics out there for Snitzel mares. It's unbelievable. I think he’s had 11 winners from 17 runners, with four stakes winners and another stakes-placed,” Comerford said.
“It's an incredible cross. It’s one of the most phenomenal statistics out there for Snitzel mares... I think he’s had 11 winners from 17 runners, with four stakes winners and another stakes-placed.” - Matt Comerford
“If you've got a Snitzel mare, it’s a no-brainer for him.”
Written By’s sire Written Tycoon has also crossed well with Snitzel mares, with Group 1 winners Captured By Love, Private Life and Velocious all out of Snitzel mares.
“It’s more than just Written Tycoon, it’s that Umatilla, Best In Show duplication that everyone raves about and it just works. That's why we keep doing it, and we will continue to keep doing it, obviously, because it's so potent.”
Written Tycoon | Standing at Yulong Stud, Victoria
Written By’s granddam Tilla’s Daughter (Umatilla {NZ}) brings in Best In Show via Umatilla (NZ)’s dam Dancing Show (USA) (Nijinsky {Can}) and Dancing Show is also the dam of Shantha’s Choice (Canny Lad), the dam of Redoute’s Choice who is Snitzel’s sire.
“By Choice is out of a Redoute’s Choice mare, so it’s the same cross but a step further back from Snitzel. Not A Single Doubt has also worked,” Comerford said.
“Snitzel is doing a really good job (as broodmare sire) and this is one of his elite crosses.
“Written By gets them at two and obviously this win is a testament to them running on. He’s had a great couple of years selling in the marketplace. He’s a really good stallion, and he’s not a lot of money and represents great value, and consistently keeps turning one out.”
Snitzel | Image courtesy of Arrowfield Stud
Where next for Plagiarism?
The Up & Coming Stakes has a strong honour board with many great horses using it as a launching pad for their careers. Reigning Horse Of The Year Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) won the race in 2024, and the year before three-time Group 1 winner Tom Kitten (Harry Angel {Ire}) won it ahead of his first Group 1 win in the G1 Spring Champion Stakes.
“They're all serious races at this time of the year, and for Plagiarism to win and do it so incredibly well is a huge testament to him and to Written By,” Comerford said.
“They're all serious races at this time of the year, and for Plagiarism to win and do it so incredibly well is a huge testament to him and to Written By.” - Matt Comerford
Going further back in time, Champion Stallions Snitzel, Fastnet Rock, and Exceed And Excel were all victorious in the Up & Coming. Plagiarism is a gelding, so a stud deal won’t be his pathway, but he’s already proven to be a money spinner for RedFox Racing and partners.
Plagiarism | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“The Ming Dynasty was our original plan, but everything is on the table for discussion now. The Ming Dynasty will be a nice path for him, if the stable go that way. His mum won at 1400, so it should be a natural step up for him,” Rook said.
Having a big spring horse is a great way to get people talking about a new business, and for Rook, there’s plenty more to look forward to this spring than one Group 3 winner with a big future.
“RedFox has only been going for the last couple of years and we've had a wonderful ride. Fully Lit was our signature horse that we kicked off with and now we’ve got Plagiarism stepping up through the ranks.
“We also have some really exciting 2-year-olds on the horizon. It’s an exciting time of year being the first 2-year-olds of the season coming through and we've got some very beautiful prospects.”
Fully Lit | Image courtesy of Sportpix
On the RedFox Racing website is a Written By filly from an unraced mare Palace Show (Domesday) as well as juvenile fillies by Capitalist, Ole Kirk, Hellbent, and Ardrossan. Among their other offerings are 2-year-old colts by Capitalist, Stay Inside, Jacquinot, Hanseatic, Profiteer, Justify (USA) and Trapeze Artist.
Which one will be seen early remains to be seen, but it’s certainly an anticipation filled time of year.
