Former Kiwi Sergeant Major recorded a strong victory in the Listed South Pacific Classic (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday as the three-year-old son of Proisir made a deserved Australian breakthrough.
Racing for a syndicate headed by Ozzie Kheir, the Ciaron Maher trained galloper raced prominently throughout and defeated ownership-mate Nostringsattached by just under a half-length.
Ridden by Ethan Brown, Sergeant Major sat to the inside of the leader a half-length adrift throughout in what is often an awkward position, but he showed plenty of resilience to run out a ready winner over the concluding stages.
A juvenile winner at Trentham last season for original trainer Gavin Sharrock, Sergeant Major was subsequently snapped up by Kheir in a deal brokered by bloodstock agent Melissa Robinson.
The gelding has been multiple stakes placed since crossing the Tasman and came out of a strong form race when fourth to the highly talented Autumn Glow in the Listed Darby Munro Stakes (1200m) at his previous start.
“He’s a horse that has always shown really good ability,” Maher said.
“Ozzie and the team found another nice horse over in New Zealand.
“I think he will just continue on the path of a few of his other New Zealanders. Each preparation he will just get better.
“It was a beautiful ride by Browny (Ethan Brown). He took luck out of it and took the race by the scruff and he was very good.”
Maher was unsure of what would come next for the talented three-year-old but a trip north to Queensland could be in the offing.
“We will just assess his performance today and how he is,” Maher said. “I have always thought he is going to be a horse that is better in time but we will just assess that.
“There is a big race up there (the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap, 1400m) where you do get a light weight as a three-year-old, so we will see how we go.”
Sergeant Major was bred and initially raced by Hawera accountant Gavin O’Dea, who retained a small interest in the horse.
O’Dea has enjoyed a successful association with Gavin Sharrock through Sergeant Major’s multiple stakes winning brother Soldier Boy and their sister Vancooga, runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m).
The trio are all of the Ekraar mare Forty Love and by Rich Hill Stud stallion Proisir, who is the sire of 6.5 percent stakes winners to runners.
Sergeant Major is the 23rd individual stakes winner for the high-class stallion, with six of those Group One winners. – NZ Racing Desk
