Talented Sebring colt Mandela sent his supporters to the bar after missing the start then laying in down the straight before nailing the Fastnet Rock pair Edison and Art Collection in an action-packed 1200 metre maiden at Randwick on Saturday.
After throwing the race away when making his career debut at Canterbury when a well-backed favourite, Mandela let his supporters down again when a troubled fifth at Randwick at his most recent start.
The signs were far from positive when Tim Clark had to scrub Mandela along after his slow start. Pulled out to the centre of the track, the son of Sebring quickly gathered in the leaders, but was running in when Edison shifted out abruptly.
Art Collection and Astralis were the meat in the sandwich. Mandela gained the verdict by a half-head over Edison however a protest by James McDonald on Art Collection over Kerrin McEvoy on Edison was upheld. (images Steve Hart )
Co-trained Paul Snowden said Mandela is still a work in progress.
"It
didn't go to script," Paul Snowden told AAP.
"The biggest thing was Tim (Clark) knowing him so well which got him over the line.
"He's not putting it all in which he will have to do if we are looking at better races.
"He is a really nice horse going forward."
Clark also admitted that the winner has a lot to learn.
"He didn't jump cleanly," he said.
"So I left him alone and through I would give him the last shot at them.
"He was going to win a lot more comfortably but that bit of interference halfway up the straight really stopped his momentum.
"He still does a few little things wrong.
"The ability's there for sure but he's got more talent than he is showing at the moment."
Trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, Mandela was consigned by Musk Creek Farm to the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where she was knocked down to China Horse Club/Newgate/Winstar for $280,000.
He is the second foal and second winner for the Lonhro mare Lonoree who could make no more than $35,000 as a yearling yet sold to Foxwood Pty Ltd for $170,000 three years later at the 2015 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale, when carrying a Foxwedge colt, despite beating just two of the ten runners home in a Newcastle maiden at her lone start on the racetrack.
A member of one of the Stud Book's most revered families, Lonoree is a half-sister to Listed winner Fleet and to the dam of Group 1 winner Secret Agenda.
Lonoree is out of the Group 1 AJC Champagne Stakes winner Euphoria (Marauding) who is a half-sister to Christmas Tree and Jewel In The Crown and is a daughter of Joy And Fun (Showdown) who is a half-sister to Joie Denise the dam of Tuesday Joy and Sunday Joy, from the famed Denise's Joy family.
Lonoree has a 2yo colt by Not A Single Doubt who was purchased by Proven Thoroughbreds/Steven O'Dea for $160,000 out of the Valiant Stud draft at this year's Magic Millions.
After foaling a Shalaa (IRE) colt last spring, Lonoree was bred back to Not A Single Doubt.
