One To Watch - Bendigo

Mark Smith - Sunday August 13

Some promising types contested Sunday's Jayco SV 3YO Maiden Plate (1300m), which makes the dominant winner Illumicon one to follow.

With three seconds from as many starts, Crystal Spirit was an important benchmark in this race but the son of Bel Esprit had no answer to the finishing burst of the Nicconi colt.

The strapping chestnut had finished a luckless fourth at his career debut at Morphettville back on July 29.

Advertisement

The Tony McEvoy-trained colt tracked the early speed set by Crystal Spirit and when Luke Currie pressed the go button Illumicon quickly collared the favourite to win by one and a quarter lengths.


It was the fourth consecutive second for Crystal Spirit who looks sure to break his maiden in the near future.

Godolphin's Exceed And Excel filly Langoustine finished well for third with another strong performance came from Darren Weir's Americain colt Amerock in fourth just two and a half lengths from the winner.

Currie said the son of Nicconi has the scope to win better races.

"He drew well, took up a nice spot and the two main dangers crossed us and were running 1-2 so we had them in our sights, Currie said.

"They backed the speed off so I elected to come out a bit early so we exposed him a little bit but it was only a matter of when I pushed the button and put them away.

"I galloped him for the first time during the week and he gave me the feel of a nice horse. Obviously, they have to take the next step but he did everything right today to say that he is on the right track.

A $130,000 purchase from the Lomar Park draft at the 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Illumicon is the second foal of the winning Encosta de Lago mare Elucidate.

A $210,000 Easter Yearling, Elucidate is out of the Deputy Governor mare Krall a sister to Group I NZ Two Thousand Guineas winner Hero and a three-quarter sister to the dam of Group I Rosehill Guineas winner Sale Of Century.

Krall is a daughter of NZ Oaks and AJC Oaks heroine Domino a three-quarter sister to triple Group I winner (Our) Westminster (the dam of four stakes winners including dual Group I winner Pace Invader) and half-sister to Group II Breeders Stakes winner Super Natural.

Nicconi covered 226 mares at Widden Stud last season at a fee of $11,000 and has earned a bump in fee in 2017 to $16,500.

 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Ka Ying Rising Straight to Everest Quarantine after Return Romp
Hong Kong Champion Ka Ying Rising was headed straight to quarantine to prepare for the Group I The Everest after another stunning performance when resuming for the new season on Sunday at Sha Tin.
Sires With Winners - Saturday September 6
Here is the full list of 106 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Pedigree Watch – 3YO Plus That G1 Late Bloomer
Saturday delivered another exciting instalment of early spring racing with three stakes races for 3YO’s and once again all of them were won by new first time stakes-winners that were virtually unsighted at two and we also had a new G1 winner, whose path to the top has been anything but smooth.
Ones to Watch – Bendigo
At this time of year, you tend to take special notice of well-bred 3YO debut winners and three of them arrived at Bendigo on Sunday that were all interesting for different reasons and none more so than one who has a name that has become infamous this year.
More Stakes Success for Impending - Cool Memory Wins Listed Farnley
A son of Larneuk Stud's value Lonhro stallion Impending, five year old Cool Memory bolted in to claim his second stakes win and bring joy to favourite backers on a rain-drenched Saturday at Belmont Park.
Stakes Goals Ahead for Supido Mare
Astute trainer David Payne is no stranger to G1 success and has always held Supido mare Shohisha in high regard and she showed the potential of better things to come this spring when powering home to win the Benchmark 94 event over 1600m at Randwick on Saturday.
G1 Haydock Sprint Cup Upset
Wathnan Racing were expecting to win the Group I Haydock Sprint Cup (6f) overnight with short priced race favourite Lazzat, but the best he could manage was fifth behind progressive three year-old colt Big Mojo.
Sires With Winners - Sunday September 7
Here is the full list of 67 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Pericles Turns Back the Clock
Six year-old Street Boss (USA) gelding Pericles won the Group II ATC Tramway Stakes (1400m) two years ago in 2023 when trained by James Cummings and he repeated the effort at Randwick on Saturday, but this time he is in the care of Bjorn Baker.
Derby Dreaming for Crown of Russia
Danny O’Brien already has one promising winner by his former G1 star Russian Camelot (IRE) in the stable in Censori and on Sunday at Bendigo he unleashed another.