Coolmore shuttler Wootton Bassett (GB) unleashed not one but two exciting juveniles at Warwick Farm on Wednesday with the opening race going to the colt Regulated Affair and shortly after it was the turn of the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained filly Agarwood.
Read about Regulated Affair here.
Agarwood has been an eye-catching presence at the trials in Sydney during the last month and with Tim Clark to ride was sent out favourite for the 1000m fillies maiden chosen for her debut.
The same race was also selected by the stable last year for subsequent stakes-winner Clean Energy and Agarwood may have a similar progression going on what unfolded today.
She travelled sweetly behind the leaders and when angled into the clear shot away to win by two and a half lengths in a brisk 57.56 seconds which was half a second quicker than Regulated Affair.
Agarwood was a little fractious before the race, but all business for Tim Clark once the gates opened.
“It was very much uncharacteristic for her, because she's such a sweet filly to do anything with and obviously just having her first start, so I'm sure she will iron those things out,” he said.
“She got away well, took up a nice position from a good draw and let the speed go and was able to pop out when we wanted to.
“She always travelled really well and it's good to see her put a gap in them late and win like the really nice filly that she is.”
Adrian Bott predicts a bright future for Agarwood and is mindful of the bigger picture for this talented filly.
“I think she'll improve sharply and naturally just settle down off the back of today,” he said.
“The positive experience will do her the world of good and also in running, I think she'll learn plenty from that as well.
“Whether Scone sort of comes up a little bit too quick for her or not, but we could look at Queensland for her.
“Obviously any valuable Black Type we can get is a benefit, but we do want to just do the right thing by her because I think there's plenty of upside.
“We've been patient and I just like the way she ran through the line there, the way she opened up and once she got into stride, she really put them away late.
“We'll look at the big picture and see where she fits in best.”
A $420,000 Inglis Easter purchase from Coolmore for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott / Kestrel Thoroughbreds, Agarwood is a half-sister to Group III winner Lilac and is the third winner from three to race from Group II placed Paulownia, a full sister to Group I winner and sire Foxwedge and stakes-winner She’s a Fox.
Coolmore sold a Home Affairs colt from Paulownia at Inglis Easter this year for $180,000 to Archibald & Neasham Racing / William Johnson Bloodstock and she is now in foal to Justify (USA) after travelling to Kentucky last year. The resulting foal will be a full sibling to Lilac.
Agarwood is the eighth first crop winner in Australia for Wootton Bassett, who is expected back at Coolmore Australia this spring.
