A long-range plan to snare a $100,000 Inglis bonus paid off for connections of Cosmo Centaurus when the son of Cosmic Force made a winning debut in the Butler Mcdermott Lawyers Maiden Hcp (1000m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.
Ridden by apprentice Bailey Wheeler for his boss Robert Heathcote, Cosmo Centaurus rode the early speed and was strong to the line in defeating the Smart Missile filly Dream Smart by a length with the Spirit Of Boom filly Heart And Spirit back in third.
Heathcote was bullish on the gelding during the week declaring him the best 2-year-old he has had since Rothfire.
There was a touch of sadness to the win which Heathcote dedicated to Brad Russell.
“We lost our best mate Brad Russell at 58 in that kayak race at the Gold Coast last Saturday, so this is for you, mate,” Heathcote said.
A $30,000 pinhook for Randwick Bloodstock Agency Pty Ltd (FBAA) from the Fairview draft at the 2022 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale, Cosmo Centaurus was bought by Robert Heathcote Racing / Paul Willetts Bloodstock Consultancy for $140,000 when offered by Middlebrook Valley Lodge at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
“He is a cracker. I might have put a bit of pressure on myself by saying he is the best juvenile I’ve had since Rothfire,” Heathcote said.
“He’s had four trials, but there has not been an issue. I wanted to win this race, and I felt that if I had run this horse in a maiden earlier, I could not have held him back.
Cosmo Centaurus is the first foal of the Redoute’s Choice mare Weston Super Mare, who placed in six of ten starts without breaking her maiden.
A three-quarter sister to the Listed Canonbury Stakes and Black Opal stakes runner-up Mr Chah Cha out of the Group II winner Molly Dot Com, Weston Super Mare was purchased by Mark and Lucas Egge for $3,000 at the 2020 National Broodmare Sale.
The daughter of Redoute’s Choice has a 2-year-old colt by Brutal and a yearling colt by Astern.
Sadly, that is the final foal of Weston Super Mare, who died in May.
Coming off a successful debut season, Cosmic Force is assured of a healthy book at Newgate Farm this season at a fee of $11,000.
