When Australian investors buy tried horses out of Europe from Aga Khan Studs they know they are getting quality, but the good ones don’t come cheap with Elamaz (IRE) sourced from their draft at the Arqana Arc Sale last year for €480,000.
Sent off a hot favourite for his Australian debut in the $200,000 Listed ATC WJ McKell Cup (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Elamaz was taken forward by Josh Parr to lead.
It probably was not his ideal scenario, but the son of Gleneagles had class on his side as a Listed winner in France last year and he scrambled home to win by a head taking his overall record to an impressive five wins and three seconds from eight starts.
"I am quite taken by him,'' Parr said.
"His demeanour was good, his action remarkable.
"The interesting part of it all is I wanted to be as kind as possible to him so he could get the 2000m first time on dry ground.
"Our plan wasn't to lead, we were looking for cover but cover wasn't going to eventuate so I pressed on to the front, trusted the stable and how well they had him, and he did the rest.
"There was a period down the side where he had no clue where he was leading the race at Rosehill, but he fought off every challenger. What a brilliant performance by him.”
Elamaz was bought out of France by Louis Le Meteyer of Astute Bloodstock and he retains an interest along in the promising young stayer, who runs for a big group of stable clients including Aston Bloodstock in whose colours he runs.
Elamaz is the best of four winners from Group III winning Maria’s Mon mare Emiyna, who comes from the family of elite Group I winning stayers Enzeli, Estimate and Ebadiyla.
The Waterhouse Bott stable have already had some luck with this family having enjoyed multiple stakes success with Eliyass (Fr).
