There seems to be a weekly unearthing of promising 2-year-olds by Written Tycoon, and First Settler added his name to the mix when making a hugely impressive debut in Saturday’s Sportsbet Photo Finish Refund Hcp (100m) at Caulfield.
Ridden by Michael Dee for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, First Settler jumped smartly before being eased back to get in the hope of getting some cover. The son of Written Tycoon began to over-race, and Dee elected to let him slide up three deep as the favourite Blue Renegade led them through sensible fractions.
When Dee asked First Settler for an effort at the 300m the response was instantaneous.
The strapping chestnut drew clear to defeat the Nicconi colt Landmark by two and a quarter lengths, with the Calyx (GB) filly Husk back in third.
A $750,000 buy for Yu Long Investments /Mick Price Racing & Breeding from the Baramul Stud draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, First Settler carries the colours of Yulong who race him with a prominent group of owners, which Rupert Legh, Noel Greenhalgh, and his breeder Gerry Harvey.
Mick Price was most impressed with how First Settler finished the race off.
“When they put the foot down on the gas, you say, what’s there,” Price said.
“I breathed a sigh of relief when he took off.”
First Settler is a half-brother to the Listed MRC Twilight Glow Stakes and $1,000,000 Silver Eagle winner Vienna Princess (Snitzel).
He is the third winner from as many to race for the Street Cry (IRE) mare Graciousness, who won nothing more than a Kembla Grange maiden in eleven starts but boasts some illustrious relations.
Graciousness is a half-sister to Vinery Stud’s Group I winning stallion Casino Prince, Group III winner Tagus and stakes-winners Lord of the Land and Metallurgical.
Graciousness is also a half-sister to Lady Paget (Testa Rossa), the dam of Oaklands Stud’s Group I JJ Atkins Stakes winner Prince Fawaz (Fastnet Rock), and Chateau Cheval (High Chaparral), the dam of young Coolmore stallion Best of Bordeaux (Snitzel), the winner of the Group II ATC Silver Slipper and Group II Roman Consul Stakes, second in the Group 1 Golden Slipper and third in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes.
Graciousness has a yearling brother to Vienna Princess, who failed to make his $250,000 reserve at the National Yearling Sale.
The daughter of Street Cry (IRE) foaled a Zoustar colt last September and was covered by Snitzel.
First Settler is the 20th 2-year-old winner of the season for Written Tycoon, the 16th in Australia and four in New Zealand, and Yulong’s flagship stallion will claim the title of Champion 2yo sire in both nations.
