Better Than Ready Chasing Down Spirit Of Boom

Mark Smith - Sunday April 14

The runaway leading first season sire for number of winners, Better Than Ready was represented by his 15th individual winner when the Stuart Kendrick-trained Jagged Edge made an impressive career debut at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.

Looking the consummate professional, like most by his sire, in this 1000 metre QTIS 2- Y-O Maiden, Jagged Edge sat just off the speed set by the favourite Je Suis Belle before James Orman released the brakes.

It was then just a matter of how far for the Darby Racing colour-bearer, which was a widening two and a quarter lengths from Je Suis Belle (Bel Esprit) with Dreamtime Magic (Dream Ahead) a further length back in third.

"He is a really nice horse," Kendrick said, 

"The Darby boys picked him out in Sydney last year. We have been really patient with him. He is a big, strong boy and was impressive today.

"He's a sensible bloke and does everything right, so hopefully he can go on to some nice races over the carnival. He has to take the next step but we might have a nice horse on our hands.

Advertisement

"These Better Than Ready's they just keep doing it. We bought a few at the sales in recent months. They can all gallop and are naturals."

Jagged Edge was a $46,000 purchase by Darby Racing / De Burgh Equine out of the Eureka Stud draft at the 2018 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

A half-brother to Group III MVRC Champagne Stakes winner Dan Baroness (Statue Of Liberty) Jagged Edge is the tenth winner from as many foals out of the Melbourne winning Rubiton mare Weekend Surprise whose yearling colt by Spirit Of Boom was bought by James Harron Bloodstock for a sales-topping $220,000 out of KBL Thoroughbreds draft at the recent Magic Millions March Yearling Sale.

The 20yo Weekend Surprise has a colt foal by Spirit Of Boom but was not covered last season.

Sporting a fee of $33,000 for the upcoming breeding season, Lyndhurst Stud Farm's Better Than Ready is on track to better the 18 first crop winners of Spirit Of Boom last season.


Advertisment
More Reading...
First winner for White Robe Lodge's Ancient Spirit
Ancient Spirit (Ger) is on the victory board and White Robe Lodge is expecting his progeny to continue to build winning momentum as the season rolls on.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Better Than Ready Hits 20
We thought last season we were seeing something exceptional when bargain priced sire Spirit of Boom churned out 18 Australian first crop winners, but lightning has struck twice with another modestly priced Queenslander in Better than Ready equalling and surpassing his figures.
Vale, Dual Cox Plate Hero So You Think
In Cox Plate week when we remember some of the all time great Cox Plate winners, So You Think is a name that will always come into the conversation with tragic news from Coolmore on Monday announcing his sudden passing. 
Better Than Ready Back in Front
At Doomben on Wednesday, Better than Ready posted a 19th two year-old winner for the season to poke his nose back in front of big guns Snitzel and I Am Invincible in the race to be leading Australian sire by two year-old winners.
Pedigree Watch – Newly Minted G1 Aussie Bred
It was hard not to be impressed by the success of the Kiwi breds on Saturday as they trampled the opposition at Randwick running first and third in $20million G1 The Everest (Ka Ying Rising and Jimmysstar) and then filled the trifecta in the $5million G1 King Charles III Stakes (Ceolwulf, Mr Brightside, Pier), but we did see two newly minted Aussie bred G1 winners at Caulfield, so let’s take
Foals From Famous Families
There’s now over 400 foals on the Breednet Foal Gallery and it’s easy to spend a bit too much time having a look for whatever might interest us but here’s a few born into famous families that always take the eye.
Better Than Ready Hits 21
Lyndhurst Stud’s long-time front-runner Better Than Ready continues to repel the formidable challenges of Deep Field and Rubick for number of individual winners by a first season sire after Golly Hut broke his maiden at the Sunshine Coast on Wednesday to become winner number 21.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Randwick
There was just one heat for juveniles at Randwick on Monday morning, but it held good interest with Breeders Plate third place-getter Revengeance given a tick over outing, while the heat winner is bred on a nick that clicks.
17 Winners for Better Than Ready
It’s been an amazing season for Lyndhurst Stud’s exciting young sire Better Than Ready and it got better again on Wednesday when he posted his 17th first crop winner with a Sunshine Coast victory for talented gelding Ready to Roam.