Sebring Goes 1-2 in Canberra Guineas

Mark Smith - Sunday March 11

A solid pace in Sunday's Listed Canberra Guineas allowed two Sebring colts to come from the tail of the field to fight out the finish.

To the cheers of the punters, the heavily backed favourite Assimilate charge home from second last on the turn to defeat Primitivo by three-quarters of a length with Waimea Bay (All Too Hard) a length back in third.

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A winner at Kembla Grange and Randwick, the Peter and Paul Snowden trained colt looked on target for a major race when second to Addictive Nature in the Group III Ming Dynasty Stakes at Rosehill Gardens before finishing fifth in Trapeze Artist's Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes.

He has not been disgraced at his last two starts in Group company in Sydney.

Carrying the colours of  China Horse Club, Assimilate advanced his record to 3 wins and 1 second from 7 starts with earnings of $230,750.

Newgate Farm's Henry Field, a part-owner of the striking chestnut, said the son of Sebring is up to winning a good race in Sydney over the carnival.

"The horse has got talent. He finished fifth in the Golden Rose and Paul and Peter have always had a good opinion of him," Field told Sky Racing.

"He's a beautiful horse with a great pedigree and it was a wonderful ride by Tye.

"We will find a nice race through the (Sydney) carnival for him."

A $420,000 purchase for China Horse Club / WinStar from the Edinburgh Park draft at the 2016 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Assimilate (pictured as a yearling)  runs for a syndicate that also includes Aquis Farm and Horse Ventures.

He is the second foal of the stakes-winning Commands mare Jester's Girl a daughter of the Listed winner and Group 1 Golden Slipper and Magic Millions 2yo Classic runner-up How Funny (Rory's Jester).

Paul Moroney Bloodstock went to $260,000 to secure Jester's Girl's yearling colt by Zoustar at the 2017 Magic Millions.

After missing to Sebring in 2016, Jester's Girl visited the outstanding Widden stallion again last year.

Assimilate becomes the 37th stakes winner for Sebring who covered 204 mares last spring at a fee of $66,000.

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