Well related Brutal colt Nepotism turned heads when charging to the line for a close third on debut to Tentyris in the Group II ATC Todman Stakes last month and he confirmed that potential when defying a betting drift to win the $250,000 Group III ATC Baillieu Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on Tuesday.
Trained by Team Hawkes and ridden by Tyler Schiller, Nepotism made light of the heavy ground to sail past his rivals in a dominant display winning by a length and a half running away from gallant Hellbent filly Savvy Hallie, who had tried to lead all the way.
Nepotism ran the 1400m trip out strongly and looms as a leading contender for the $1million Group I ATC Champagne Stakes (1600m) on April 19 and there is a chance he may even back up in Saturday’s $1million Group I ATC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m).
“His first start in the Todman, he was probably a bit unlucky we felt. He just got hemmed up a little bit and Wodeton went past him and he had to pick himself back up again which he did and he really hit the line strong,” said Michael Hawkes.
“Not running Saturday wasn’t ideal, but we just kept him ticking over and Tyler rode the right race. He was a little bit tardy away and he rode for luck come up through them and when he finally got out he put paid to them, so he's a proper colt.”
The Champagne Stakes over a mile has always been the plan for the son of Brutal, who was also trained by Team Hawkes and won the Group I ATC Doncaster Handicap over that trip as a three year-old in 2019.
“Obviously, the Sires Produce (1400m) is this Saturday, but we do have the mile coming up and he looks like he'll relish the mile,” Hawkes said.
“He's only a baby; it's just his second start, and he's obviously a Group winner now, so he's a valuable colt going forward, and obviously it’s great for our sire, Brutal, as it's his first Group winner, so he's getting on the board as well.”
A $160,000 Inglis Premier purchase from Gilgai Farm for International Thoroughbred Solutions, Nepotism runs for an ownership group that includes some of the Black Caviar owners and his breeder Gilgai Farm, which comes as no surprise given this talented colt comes from the same Helsinge female family that produced Black Caviar.
Nepotism is the first stakes-winner among three winners from four foals to race from unraced Casino Prince mare Brigite, a full sister to Champion 3YO Colt All Too Hard and half-sister to world champion sprinter Black Caviar as well as the dam of Champion 3YO Colt Ole Kirk.
It’s a hugely successful family that doesn’t just produce G1 winners… it produces champions and Team Hawkes know a bit about it having trained both All Too Hard and Ole Kirk.
Brigite has been a tricky breeder of late and has not had a foal since Nepotism.
Gilgai Farm have a draft of 10 for Inglis Easter, but none are from their famed Helsinge family.
Nepotism is the second stakes-winner for Newgate Farm’s young O’Reilly stallion Brutal, who was a popular choice with breeders last spring covering 154 mares and is priced this year at $16,500.
