The juvenile maiden at Warwick Farm on Wednesday was won by promising Snitzel gelding Holstein, a half-brother to this year’s Group I New Zealand Derby winner Rocket Spade, who is due in Sydney for a crack at the Group I ATC Australian Derby on Saturday week.
Trained by Matt Dunn, Holstein was tuned up with two recent trials and was able to overcome an awkward draw to score a tenacious win.
He went forward to sit outside the leader under Josh Parr and gave a great kick over the final furlong leaving just enough to hold off a late challenge from Chill to win by a neck.
“
He’s a lovely well bred gelding now as he was extremely naughty as a colt,” revealed stable representative Kiera Dunn.
“It’s taken us a while to get him going, but each time he had a trial or jump out he improved.
“Today was a big ask from a wide gate, but he kept finding all the way, so it was very encouraging.”
A $150,000 Inglis Premier purchase from the Sun Stud draft at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale for his trainer and bloodstock agent Neil Jenkinson, Holstein runs for a big group of stable clients and is a three-quarter brother to this season’s Group I winner Rocket Spade.
Bred by Sun Stud, Holstein is the third winner from stakes-placed Affairoftheheart, a half-sister by Fusaichi Pegasus (USA) to Group I winner Soriano and Group III winner Kaiser Franz from stakes-winner Call Me Lily.
Affairoftheheart has a yearling colt Thronum and was covered last spring by National Defense (GB).
