Exciting Zoustar colt Growing Empire showed the promise of good things to come last season when he won two stakes races from just three starts and the Yulong flagbearer returned in scintillating form on Saturday at Caulfield to win the Group III MRC McNeil Stakes (1200m) eased down.
Trained by Ciaron Maher and ridden by Mark Zahra, Growing Empire was allowed to settle off the pace and when asked to make his run was forced out to be the widest runner turning for home.
He let down with a brilliant change of gear at the furlong and flashed past his rivals in a twinkling with Zahra easing him to the line to win by a length and a half over a pair of Cosmic Force three year-olds in Wonder Boy and Stay Focused.
“I didn't really tie Mark down with too many instructions, if he pinged the lids we were going to go forward, he ended up with a beautiful run, he's a very very progressive colt and he's on a Coolmore path so he's started the prep well,” said Ciaron Maher.
"He's probably one of our benchmark colts."
Growing Empire has now had three wins and a second from four starts with prizemoney topping $300,000 and the Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington in November is the target race this spring, a race won by his sire Zoustar in 2013.
"He's always had that really good ability and he spelled well at Yulong, he's come back in and the team have done a great job, you can still see late that there's a lot more there, he still wobbles around and that's why we wanted to get him to the races now, he needs that bit of experience,” Maher added.
"We'll get him to Flemington, he can have a couple of looks down the straight and hopefully he's right to go on Derby Day.”
Mark Zahra was full of praise for Growing Empire.
"They don't win much better than that. I thought this prep, today would be the day, if he was going to get beaten, today would be the day and at the 400 (metres) I didn't have to worry about that,” he said.
Growing Empire was a $700,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Yulong from the Vinery Stud draft and is a half-brother to Group III placed Dancing Alone from Group II placed Snitzel mare Miles of Krishan, a half-sister to Group I winner Il Quello Veloce, stakes-winner Donna Cattiva and to the dam of Group III Canberra Black Opal Stakes winner Holmes a Court.
It’s a very fast Black Type family that has also produced Group I winning sprinters Terravista and Tiger Tees.
Miles of Krishan has a two year-old filly by I Am Invincible and another filly to follow by Zoustar.
Growing Empire is the fourth stakes-winner this season for Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar.
