Superbly bred colt State Visit has shown enormous promise in just a handful of runs and will be bidding to convert that into Group One success in the Champagne Stakes at Randwick.
By hot stallion Wootton Bassett, whose progeny includes Canterbury Stakes winner Royal Patronage and Golden Slipper runner-up Wodeton, State Visit is out of 2021 Oakleigh Plate dead-heater Celebrity Queen.
Coolmore paid $2.5 million for the mare following her Group 1 win and State Visit is her first foal, her owners opting to retain him to race.
If he can win Saturday’s Champagne Stakes (1600m) it will go a long way to securing his future at stud and while he is untested at the mile, trainer Ciaron Maher’s Sydney foreman Johann Gerard-Dubord expects him to appreciate the journey.
“The mile he will be trying for the first time but he switches off well and he’s a very fit horse,” Gerard-Dubord said.
“We’d obviously love to win a Group One or two with him.”
After posting a debut win at Canterbury in February, State Visit rattled home from last to finish third in the Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) and was again strong late when beating all but Vinrock in the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).
James McDonald jumps aboard on Saturday when State Visit will have to overcome the outside gate in the 12-horse field.
“At his first start he was very impressive running good sectionals but he was still very new,” Gerard-Dubord said.
“Second start he had to go all the way back and make his run on the outside, which is not easy to do, and last start he was very good. Jason (Collett) said he actually didn’t see the horse (winner Vinrock) on his inside and that’s why he came back again in the end.
“He’s got the best attitude, a beautiful action. He is a lovely colt so we will try to get that Group One win.”
Hawkes Racing’s Nepotism retains Champagne Stakes favouritism at $4.20 ahead of filly Within The Law, who has been backed from $6.50 into $5, with State Visit on the third line of betting as a $6.50 chance.
