A $1.1million Inglis Easter purchase for Sun Bloodstock, promising Snitzel colt Pioneer River opened his account at Flemington on Wednesday with a tenacious win.
Trained by the Hayes / Dabernig team at Lindsay Park, Pioneer River finished sixth in the Listed VRC Talindert Stakes on debut last month behind Ole Kirk and showed the benefit of that outing when returning to Flemington for his second start.
He tracked the leaders for Mark Zahra and was strong to the line, narrowly overhauling the favourite Mystery Dancer to win the 1200m dash by a short half head.
“It was a sprint home and he just got there,” said co-trainer Ben Hayes.
“I think when he gets over a bit further you’ll see the best of him. We’ll look for a 1400 metre race for him now.”
Consigned by Sledmere Stud and bought by Sun Bloodstock, Pioneer River is a half-brother to Group III winner No More Tears and is the fourth winner from Ocean of Tears (NZ), a half-sister to Group II winner Hips Don’t Lie, the dam of Group III winner Ennis Hill and Group I placed stakes-winner Lake Geneva.
Ocean of Tears has a yearling filly by Exceed and Excel and was covered last spring by Snitzel’s Group I winning son Russian Revolution.
