When Tim Martin first laid eyes on Stay Schtum at the sales he thought he was close to the perfect yearling.
At Hawkesbury on Saturday, Martin will find out if the youngster can convert those looks into racetrack success.
By Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense out of Flora Danica, runner-up to Serenade Rose in both the Victorian and Australian Oaks during her classic year, Stay Schtum was a $350,000 Easter Sale purchase.
He will make his debut in the Hawkesbury Race Club Motel Inglis Bonus 2YO Handicap (1200m) on Saturday and is the $3.60 favourite.
“I bought him at Easter last year. He was a very good type. Almost the perfect yearling,” Martin said.
“He went shin sore and his joints played up a bit last year, just the natural things that happen with two-year-olds.
“That’s why we’ve given him time.
“He wasn’t forward enough for the autumn so he’s coming into play now.”
Stay Schtum won his only barrier trial at Canterbury last month and Martin said that was the best guide to his chances on Saturday.
“The most we’ve asked him to do was in the trial,” Martin said.
“We had pretty much kept him held together.”
Hugh Bowman will ride Stay Schtum who has drawn the outside gate.
It is a tricky gate for a debutant and Martin will be leaving tactics to Bowman.
“He sat just off them in the trial but he’s by a Kentucky Derby winner out of an Oaks placegetter,” Martin said.
“He’s drawn awkwardly so I’ll just leave it to Hugh Bowman. If he begins well he can go forward.”
Stay Schtum will face 11 rivals including speedy filly Diamond Earth from the Anthony Cummings stable and Peter Snowden-trained first starter Academus.
