Featured in a Breednet Juvenile Trial Watch story last month before winning on debut at Canterbury on February 21, the Jean Dubois trained Aylmerton is unique in being the only two year-old in Australia by the 2017 Champion French 2YO Sire Siyouni.
Partnered by Andrew Adkins from gate one, Aylmerton (images Steve Hart) travelled just behind the leaders and surged through a narrow gap up the fence over the final furlong to score a long head win over brilliant Queensland gelding Ef Troop.
As the field was approaching the 100m, Performer ducked out sharply and Hugh Bowman
was left without a horse underneath him before crashing to the turf.Bowman was treated on the track by ambulance officers. He was conscious when taken to St Vincent's Hospital for further treatment.
"He's obviously a little sore and sorry," chief steward Marc Van Gestel said.
"He appeared to have had a loss of consciousness for a short period of time and may be suffering the effects of concussion.
"He's gone to the hospital for some precautionary X-rays and we'll see what that shows."
The time of 1:08.84 was fractionally faster than that of two year-old filly Estijaab, who won the Group II ATC Reisling Stakes in race record time.
Aylmerton was scratched out of the Group III Black Opal Stakes at Canberra on Sunday in favour of this tougher race with happy results.
"It's a miracle!" said winning trainer Jean Dubois.
"I've only got five two year-olds in work. You always dream of things like this but don't believe it can happen. He is a very professional."
Andrew Adkins was full of praise for Aylmerton.
"Cantering to the gates my first time on the horse he gave me a very good feel," he said.
"When he bounced out he was straight into a rhythm.
"He travelled very well. It was a nice tempo for him but when I skipped back up the inside he was still very raw and he was unsure having horses to the outside as he hadn't had that before."
A homebred for David Chaikin's Woodpark Stud, Aylmerton is the first foal of
Aloona (USA), a half-sister by Smart Strike to Group III winner Galatee, the
dam of Group II winners Dartmouth and Manatee.Aloona produced a filly last spring by Smart Missile and is now in foal to Astern.
A Group I winning son of Pivotal, Siyouni has been a sensation in Europe with his best offspring headed by Group I winners Ervedya and Laurens after starting his career at a lowly service fee of 7,000 euros.
Aylmerton is the 20th stakes-winner for Siyouni, who stands at The Aga Khan Studs, Haras de Bonneval in France this year at a fee of 75,000 euros, up from 45,000 last year, so his star is on the rise.
