Deep Field three-year-old Depth Of Character has opened the path to a potential Group I Stradbroke Handicap tilt after winning the Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The Annabel and Rob Archibald trained three-year-old was let find his feet from the barriers under Noel Callow, settling midfield, but was travelling so sweetly he’d moved to within the leaders under his own steam into the straight and it wasn’t until the 200m mark that Callow asked for an effort.
From there it was done, going on to beat Churchill's Choice (Churchill) by 2.4 lengths with Beau Dazzler (Ardrossan) third.
“I actually thought he might be a little bit shorter in the market just with his Sydney form,” said Annabel Neasham.
“You know two starts back he was very good behind Evaporate and Swift Falcon, and you know he was still pretty good in the Guineas as well but just not quite as good as the Broadsidings of the world.”
Depth Of Character was a $180,000 purchase for his trainers from The Chase draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Bred by China Horse Club, he is the second winner from as many foals for the Power (GB) mare Caricature, placed in the Group III Hawkes Bay Lowland Stakes and was fourth in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks.
A $600,000 purchase for China Horse Club at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale at Karaka, Caricature is a half-sister to Group II Wakefield Challenge Stakes winner Pussy Willow (O’Reilly, Listed winner (Inside Agent (Stravinsky), and Listed Winner Pussy O’Reilly (O’Reilly) who was runner-up in the Group 1 Makfi Challenge Stakes and is the dam of the Group III Adelaide Fillies Classic winner and Group 1 New Zealand Oaks runner-up, Positivity (Almanzor).
Caricature has a yearling filly by Zoustar which made $475,000 to Matthew Smith Racing/ Randwick Bloodstock Agency at Inglis Easter.
She foaled a colt by Russian Revolution last spring and was served by Zoustar.