A strong provincial meeting at Newcastle on Saturday produced a couple of debut winners that caught the eye for varying reasons one being the 2YO half-brother to triple Group I winner and $4million earner Le Romain and the other a blue-blooded 3YO import by champion sire Pivotal, both will be going in my Breednet Black Book!
Michael Freedman puts the polish on Astern colt Backrower, who has shown good potential in two recent trials and found the line with enthusiasm to win the 1200m maiden by half a length running away.
A $200,000 Inglis Easter purchase for his trainer from the Edinglassie Stud draft, Backrower was the highest priced colt by Astern sold in 2021.
He is the fourth winner from Mignard, a winning Strategic mare whose yearling filly by Justify (USA) was offered at Inglis Easter this year by Longwood Thoroughbred Farm and sold for $300,000 to Bahen Bloodstock / Lees Racing.
Astute trainer Matthew Smith looks to have a very interesting horse on his hands in Miracle Spin (GB), a 3YO gelding by Pivotal that was bought from the 2020 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book Two for 100,000 guineas by Kern/Lillingston Association / John Foote Bloodstock.
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A barrier trial winner last month at Warwick Farm, he was backed from $12 to $8 in the 1400m maiden and vindicated the faith shown by that support in producing an eye catching win.
Allowed to settle back from a wide draw, he powered to the line to win by nearly three lengths.
Miracle Spin is a full brother to Irish Group III winner and Group I Irish Derby fourth place-getter Earlswood, who is now in Australia and won the Group III MRC Carlyon Cup at his only run her last spring for Maddie Raymond.
He is the fourth winner from Group II placed Galileo mare Field of Miracles, a sibling to Group II winner Solid Stone and stakes-winner Cameron Highland.
Pivotal and Galileo have quite an affinity with each other and combine in the pedigrees of 39 stakes-winners, 12 of them Group I winners including champions St Mark’s Basilica, Sottsass, Magical, Love, Cracksman and Aussie dual Group I winner Hungry Heart.
