Purchased for $25,000 at the Inglis May Monthly Online Sale, the Robert Heathcote-trained gelding Deep Image earned that back with interest with his first stakes win in Saturday’s Listed Lough Neagh Stakes at Eagle Farm.
The 6yo Testa Rossa gelding has won three and placed in two of his five starts for Heathcote.
With Robbie Fradd in the saddle, Deep Image was eased across to lead from his wide barrier and he refused to give it up defeating Looks Like Elvis (All American) by three-quarters of a length with one and a half lengths to Chapter And Verse (Rothesay) in third.
"I have been saying for some time that Deep Image is all class and would win good races. But he had to do too much work from the inside barrier at his last start," Heathcote told AAP.
"I know it sounds strange but I knew if Robbie could work to the lead at his own pace today he could get some easy sectionals.
"That is the way it turned out and he was very strong on the line."
Deep Image as a yearling
"Right from the time he won a trial for us I have had a wrap on him. I think he can probably go on to win an even better race.
Purchased by David Vandyke for $150,000 out of the Vinery Stud draft at the 2015 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Deep Image advances his record to 7 wins, 2 seconds and 3 thirds from 19 starts with earnings of $291,950.
Deep Image is the best of five winners from as many to race out of the unraced Redoute’s Choice mare Starwish.
The win will be welcomed by Jamieson Park who will offer an Iffraaj (GB) filly out of Starfish at the upcoming NZB Karaka Yearling Sale as Lot 311.
Jamieson Park purchased Starwish for $200,000 at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
A sister to the stakes-placed Starfish and half-sister to Listed ATC Gimcrack Stakes winner Brilliant Bisc, Starwish is a daughter of the Group 1 MVRC Australia Stakes winner Stella Cadente.
Starwish was covered by Iffraaj (GB) again last season.
Deep Image becomes the 66th stakes-winner for Vinery Stud’s long-serving Testa Rossa who earned an honourable pension in January.
The son of Perugino has two foals, both colts, on the ground this season from four mares covered last spring.
