Kia Ora Stud’s Golden Slipper winner Farnan made an auspicious start to The Championships on Saturday at Randwick when his quality colts North England and King of Pop fought out the finish of the $250,000 Group III ATC Kindergarten Stakes (1100m).
Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, North England improved from a debut placing in the Group III ATC Breeders Plate last spring to win the $1million Group III ATC Golden Gift (1100m) at his second start, which earned him a lot of prizemoney, but not a Black Type win.
That anomaly on his resume was rectified in the Kindergarten when he enjoyed a good run in transit for Tim Clark and was strong to the line in holding off an unlucky King of Pop, who was held up for a run with Snitzel colt Beskar a close third.
North England was a $280,000 Inglis Classic purchase from Valiant Stud for China Horse Club / Newgate Bloodstock / Go Bloodstock / Trilogy and has two wins from five starts with prizemoney well in excess of $800,000.
"It's really satisfying. It's been a very frustrating campaign with him. The horse has got so much talent and things haven't necessarily gone right for him throughout the campaign, so to capitalise and finish on a good note, I guess, is very satisfying for the owners and connections,” said Adrian Bott.
"Obviously they put a lot in looking for these types of horses and colts, so to get a nice win for a talented two-year-old on a big day like today is very satisfying."
North England has been a natural two year-old from day one and can now look forward to his three year-old season.
"He's got the great temperament for it. He's just a naturally precocious horse, which he's shown from early days. He's got the mindset and constitution to be able to keep up and sustain that sort of preparation and I think he'll train on as well,” Bott added.
"We'll tip him out now, most likely, get him set for a three-year-old campaign and hopefully we can have a smooth run at things and he can show his talent."
Bred by Zhongli Thoroughbreds, North England is the best of two winners from three runners from Our Belisa, a metro winning Lope de Vega (IRE) mare from the family of Group winners Cracke Me Up and Hoofit as well as this season’s stakes-winner A Little Deep.
Our Belisa has not had a foal since North England and went through Inglis Digital last November selling for $225,000 with a positive test to Stay Inside.
North England is the third stakes-winner for Farnan, who has 11 entries for Inglis Easter.
