One to Watch – Bendigo

Tara Madgwick - Thursday September 14

The 1300m maiden at Bendigo on Thursday featured a big competitive field, but at the winning post there was just on ehorse in the race and that was a first starter by Triple Crown hero Justify (USA).

Verdad wins in a breeze at Bendigo - image Brett Holburt / Racing Photos

Trained by the Griffiths De Kock partnership, talented gelding Verdad was easy in the market, but was in a class of his own bolting clear to win by nearly four lengths for Beau Mertens over race favourite Copacobana, an expensive son of Toronado (IRE).

Advertisement

Verdad tracked the leader and was much too good in the closing stages suggesting longer trips will hold no fears.

A $65,000 Inglis Premier purchase from Merricks Station for Tim Nolen, he was re-offered in the Nolen Racing draft at the Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale last year where his trainers and Peter Ford Thoroughbreds picked him up for $150,000 after he breezed in 10.65 seconds.

Verdad was a big scopey yearling that sold for $65,000 at Inglis Premier.

Verdad is the third winner from three foals to race from Group III placed Magnus mare Whistle Baby, who has a yearling filly by Justify that made $50,000 at the Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale this year for Merricks Station when bought by Rich River Meat Exports Pty Ltd

Justify was the Champion First Crop sire last season and has been quickly into stride with his spring three year-olds including stakes-placed Scentify and Legacies, who has accepted for the Listed VRC Exford Plate against the colts at Flemington on Saturday and is early favourite.

Advertisment

Race Result - Budget Car and Truck Hire Mdn Plate 1300m

Bendigo Track: Good(4) Time: 1:16.73
1
Verdad
- 3g Justify (USA) x Whistle Baby (AUS) (Magnus (AUS))
Tnr: R Griffiths & M De Kock Rdr: Beau Mertens 57
2
3.8
Copacabana
- 3c Toronado (IRE) x Promenades (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Jye McNeil 57
3
4.2
Undercover Agent
- 5g Master Of Design (AUS) x Good Thinking (AUS) (Hold That Tiger (USA))
Tnr: G M Begg Rdr: W Egan 59.5
4
6.4
Samurai
- 3g Saxon Warrior (JPN) x Trail Blazer (NZ) (Roc De Cambes (NZ))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: M J Dee 57
5
8.4
Power Crunch
- 5g Safeguard (AUS) x Unruffled (AUS) (Nicconi (AUS))
Tnr: D C Harrison Rdr: Sheridan Clarke 57.5
6
8.7
The Way We Were
- 4m Deep Impact (JPN) x Peron (AUS) (Husson (ARG))
Tnr: P G Moody & Katherine Coleman Rdr: L Nolen 57.5
7
8.8
Zente Dancer
- 3f Zacinto (GB) x Menaka (NZ) (Montjeu (IRE))
Tnr: R G Symons Rdr: Laura Lafferty 53.5
8
9.5
Tan Tat Honour
- 4m Dundeel (NZ) x Tan Tat Tess (AUS) (Testa Rossa (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: C Newitt 57.5
9
9.6
Albanian Wrestler
- 4g Cable Bay (IRE) x Invested Capital (GB) (Zamindar (USA))
Tnr: P Koumis Rdr: Jarrod Fry 59.5
10
9.7
Pass The Rose
- 5m Telperion (AUS) x Tradewind (NZ) (Al Akbar (AUS))
Tnr: P G Moody & Katherine Coleman Rdr: Thomas Stockdale 57.5
11
11.0
Regal Rose
- 4m Pierro (AUS) x Niccorama (AUS) (Nicconi (AUS))
Tnr: J P Salanitri Rdr: Alana Kelly 57.5
12
12.2
Elle Mcfearsome
- 4m Vanbrugh (AUS) x Sorestan (NZ) (Volksraad (GB))
Tnr: Brent Stanley Rdr: D Oliver 57.5
13
16.2
Dee Ar Ess
- 4m Lonhro (AUS) x Singled Out (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: Liam Howley Rdr: B Mc Dougall 57.5
More Reading...
High-flying Pencarrow Stud offers well-bred mares in Online Breeding Stock Sale
The 2024-25 season has been one of the best ever for Pencarrow Stud, and some of the renowned bloodlines that have underpinned that success are now available for purchase in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
Sires With Winners - Friday July 4
Here is the full list of 38 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Snitzel Filly Bridal Waltz Wins A.R. Creswick Stakes
While many felt the winner of Saturday’s Listed $175,000 VRC A.R. Creswick Stakes (1200m) had raced two weeks prior in the Shop Flemington Handicap (1100m) – and they would’ve been correct – but it was not the result many punters felt it would be!
Spring Potential for Darby Racing's Raging Force
Unplaced in the Group III ATC Breeders’ Plate last spring on debut, Raging Force came out of that race with an injury that required significant time on the sidelines, but since returning to full work his progress has been swift.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
There were six heats for juveniles at Rosehill on Friday morning and the winners include unraced youngsters by Cool Aza Beel and I Am Invincible, plus a Farnan colt that tried his luck in Group races in the autumn and was far from disgraced.
One to Watch – Ballarat
Synthetic track meetings at Ballarat can throw up some misleading form, but a debut winner from the Tony and Calvin McEvoy stable that started in the red and won by nine lengths is probably worth a closer look.
Invincible 2YO Colt wins for Bennett Racing
The $150,000 VRC Next Gen Sprinters Series Final (1200m) for two year-olds at Flemington on Saturday drew a competitive field of progressive juveniles and the colt that stood out on type in the yard was the one that got the cash with I Am Invincible colt Jimmy Recard proving too good for race favourite Bacash.
Third Winner for Peltzer
Twin Hills Stud’s young sire Peltzer added a third winner to his tally with a debut victory at Canberra on Friday for the well named gelding I Show Speed.
Marble Nine Brings Up Second Stakes Winner For Aquis’ Kobayashi
The withdrawal of the top weight in Saturday’s $175,000 Listed VRC Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final (1200m) at Flemington saw the field down to just six, with Marble Nine continuing his outstanding recent form to secure his first black type victory.
Buccleuch - First Stakes-Winner for Peltzer
The $175,000 Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday was won back in 2020 by Cherry Tortoni, who went to on to become a multiple Group winner of nearly $1million and the same colours were carried by this year’s winner Buccleuch.