Promising Metro Debut Winner for Farnan

Tara Madgwick - Wednesday March 26

Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Farnan to win the Golden Slipper in 2020 and they are having plenty of fun with his first crop of two year-olds and produced a debut winner for the Kia Ora Stud based sire at Randwick on Wednesday with a tenacious victory for Farnicle.

Farnicle on the inside hangs on to win from Regulated Affair - image Bradley Photography

Farnicle was well prepared for a first up tilt in the 1100m maiden with two recent trials under his belt and Regan Bayliss, who rode him at the trials, was keen to continue the association.

He was happy to let the speed go and sit in behind, before chiming in at the furlong with Wootton Bassett (GB) first starter Regulated Affair charging home late only to go down by half a head to Bayliss and Farnicle.

“His class got him through today and we’re really looking forward to seeing him once we can get him over that little bit further and once he sort of really starts to fully mature for us,” said Adrian Bott.

“He began well and he showed good tactical speed, but they were running some good sectionals there early and he was at his top just even to hold a position where he was. I thought he stuck on, the way he quickened to it off the back of that and the way he stuck on was really encouraging and the signs of a promising horse going forward.”

Farnicle has a pedigree that would suggest his three year-old season can be fruitful and the stable are already looking to the future.

“I guess you've always got Queensland as an option. I think anything here in the autumn may just sort of be a little bit too quick for him at this stage,” Bott said.

“So whether we do look to push on that far or as I said, or with knowing the profile, the type of horse that he is and whether we feel the job's done, this preparation and look to focus on a good break and then his three-year-old career, we'll just get over today first.”

Farnicle is a winner on debut - image Bradley Photography

Regan Bayliss is a fan of Farnicle.

Advertisement

“He's one of those horses that improves two or three lengths after each piece of track work and each trial, and he's still come to the races here today and got very hot and sweaty and still a little bit of a lad,” said Bayliss.

“I thought if he gets beat today he'll improve massively and be hard to beat next start, so I think it was just a real good string to his bow to be able to win today, and you know he's got stacks of room for improvement.

“He's just got the best attitude, he switched off a treat and went through his gears really well and he'll eventually get up to 1,400 and a mile and he's got an exciting future.”

Farnicle is the first foal from Group I New Zealand Oaks winner Jennifer Eccles, who was bought by Kia Ora Stud for $800,000 on Gavelhouse to go to Farnan.

He made $600,000 at Inglis Easter when bought by Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott / Kestrel Bloodstock and Kia Ora remain in his ownership group along with TFI and a large group of stable clients.

By Galileo stallion Rip Van Winkle (IRE), Jennifer Eccles has since produced another filly by Farnan that passed in at Karaka this year and then a filly by I Am Invincible before going back to visit him again.

Farnan has sired six first crop winners.

Farnicle is the sixth winner for Kia Ora Stud’s Golden Slipper winner Farnan, whose progeny are headed by Group III winner King of Pop and Group placed North England and Farcited.

Advertisment

Race Result - CHC Powering The Chase Hcp 1100m

Randwick-Kensington Track: Good(4) Time: 1:03.15
1
Farnicle
- 2c Farnan (AUS) x Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle (IRE))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Regan Bayliss 56.5
2
0.1
Regulated Affair
- 2c Wootton Bassett (GB) x Sei Stella (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 56.5
3
1.4
Mednyi
- 2c Capitalist (AUS) x Maroon Bay (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: Benjamin Osmond 55
4
1.5
Grand Prairie
- 2c Written Tycoon (AUS) x Viddora (AUS) (I Am Invincible (AUS))
Tnr: Peter Snowden Rdr: Tyler Schiller 57.5
5
5.2
Nielsen Park
- 2c Zoustar (AUS) x She's So High (AUS) (I Am Invincible (AUS))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: Tommy Berry 56.5
6
6.8
Serpico
- 2g Shamus Award (AUS) x Vassiliki (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: David Payne Rdr: C Schofield 56.5
7
7.5
Billy Bowlegg
- 2g Mandalong Ready (AUS) x Mandalong Kiss (AUS) (War Pass (USA))
Tnr: G R Nickson Rdr: A Adkins 55
8
7.7
My Mate Elvis
- 2g Time To Reign (AUS) x Jehannedarc (IRE) (Montjeu (IRE))
Tnr: G Portelli Rdr: Molly Bourke 53.5
9
13.1
Biltmore
- 2c North Pacific (AUS) x Academy Idol (AUS) (Made Of Gold (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: N Rawiller 56.5
More Reading...
New G1 Winner for Wootton Bassett
Back in Australia for another season at Coolmore, Wootton Bassett (GB) was expected to get a 3YO Group I winner in France on Sunday, but the horse that got the job done was not the one punters expected.
Barneswood Farm Trans Tasman Strike
A trans-Tasman ownership double prompted long and enthusiastic celebrations for Ashburton’s Barneswood Farm.
Sires With Winners - Monday September 8
Here is the full list of 18 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
$1.7million Flightline Colt Sets Pace at Keeneland September Day 1
The 2025 Keeneland September Yearling Sale is underway and as expected yearlings from the first crop of US Horse of the Year Flightline are lighting up the sale ring, while a colt by Widden Stud shuttler Cogburn’s sire Not This Time sold for $1.6million.
Vale, Fastnet Rock
Fastnet Rock was a crowd pleaser when paraded as a living legend at the Coolmore stallion parade last month, but sadly this spring was to be his last. 
Aussie Bred Sprinter Wins G3 in South Korea
Australian bred Deep Field gelding Self Improvement was the pride of Hong Kong on Sunday when the Manfred Man trained gelding captured the Group III Seoul Korea Sprint (1200m) in South Korea.
Tara Talks Racing – This Week We Talk to Bennett Racing
In the wash up of last Saturday’s great day of spring racing there was no winner that meant more to his connections than Group I MVRC Moir Stakes victory Baraqiel, so our obvious guest this week had to be Nathan Bennett.
Impressive First Foals for Don Corleone
The first son of outstanding sire Extreme Choice to find his way to Queensland, Group I performer Don Corleone proved very popular with breeders last spring covering 133 mares at Eureka Stud and his first foals are exactly what you might hope for.
El Vencedor Crowned NZ Horse of the Year
Rich Hill Stud’s standing as a centre of thoroughbred excellence has been further emphasised with El Vencedor named New Zealand’s Horse of the Year.
Shamus Award Mare Quintessa Cracks $1million in Prizemoney
Karaka graduate Quintessa (NZ) (Shamus Award) became a millionaire and a dual Group One winner with a stunning last-to-first performance in the $400,000 Group One Proisir Plate (1400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.