This started as a story about another yearling who defied the vets to become a stakes-winner and ended up more of a Paul Moroney appreciation post.
With just one run in three months and three in his career, the unbeaten Immediacy has not had an orthodox preparation for Saturday's $750,000 Group 1 Sky Rosehill Guineas, where he strives to emulate his sire, the 2016 winner Tarzino.
Immediacy streaks away in the Autumn Classic (image Grant Courtney)
Trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, Immediacy has had a meteoric rise. He broke his maiden with a narrow win on debut over 1500m at Cranbourne in December and a midweek win over 1800m at Sandown on January 17.
His win in the $300,000 Group II Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield on February 24 marked him as a cut above the ordinary.
Settled back midfield by Luke Currie, the son of Tarzino savaged the line to win by three lengths.
Immediacy was bred by Cambridge Stud owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay and was initially offered at the Karaka Yearling Sale but failed a veterinary scope. After leaving the ring unsold, Guy Lowry's Game Lodge purchased him for $15,000.
Riverrock Farm prepared Immediacy for the 2-year-old NZB Ready To Run Sale, where Busuttin Racing / Group 1 Racing had the final say at $200,000.
Racing for a syndicate that includes John O'Neill and Ozzie Kheir, Immediacy is the sixth foal and third winner from as many to race for the Pivotal mare, But Beautiful (IRE).
This is where Paul Moroney comes in.
Moroney purchased But Beautiful (IRE) for just 20,000 guineas at the 2011 Tattersalls December Mare Sale.
Even allowing for an ensuing improvement in her immediate family and the elevation of Pivotal to the top rank of broodmare sires, you look at the pedigree and ask, how?
And it's not that she was a complete flop on the track.
While never threatening to take her place among the all-time greats, But Beautiful (IRE) had three wins on the all-weather at Kempton and was twice placed in ten starts.
She is a half-sister to dual Listed winner and multiple Group placed Ayrad (Dalakhani) and Listed winner and Group II placed Dawn Of Hope (Mastercraftsman).
Immediacy taking on the big boys on Saturday (image Grant Courtney)
But Beautiful (GB) is out of the stakes-placed Sweet Firebird (Sadler's Wells), a sister to the excellent California-based stallion Moscow Ballet, and a half to Cambridge Stud's influential Stravinsky (USA), a dual Group 1 winning son of Nureyev, out of the top-class Fire The Groom (Blushing Groom) whose eight wins were highlighted by the Grade 1 Beverly D Stakes.
But Beautiful's stud career has been shared equally between, initially, Waikato Stud's Mark Chittick and sister Celia Crawshaw, and in the last seven years by Brendan and Jo Lindsay.
The 17-year-old daughter Pivotal is far from finished. Her filly by Hello Youmzain (FR) was a $280,000 buy for Busuttin Young Racing / Andrew Williams Bloodstock at Karaka in January, and she was covered by Embellish last spring.
Hello Youmzain half-sister to Immediacy heading to Busittin/Young
While Westbury Stud's Tarzino won the 2016 Rosehill Guineas to add to his victory in the VRC Derby the previous spring, the son of Tavistock had to bow to the Busuttin/Young-trained Tavago in the ATC Australian Derby.
Tavago is also a son of Tavistock, and his dam Sara Ann is a sister to Stravinsky's top-class daughter La Sizeranne.
The Rosehill Guineas is one of five Group 1 features on a champagne day of racing at Rosehill on Saturday.
