Adrian Bott was sheepish while being very, very happy when the 2YO CONVERGE stormed home to be a runaway winner of the Gr 1 JJ Atkins over 1600m.
The race was worth $1million. The winner received $600,000 taking his prize money to $961,000.
Everyone was happy, even punters who backed him in from $3.60 to start at $2.80.
Right? Hmmm……think again.
Deep inside Bott he knew. He had a secret sadness in his gut that prevented him from jumping and screeching with joy about the win.
That’s because – his mum and dad own Converge, one of the very best bred juveniles in Australia. Certainly he is the best bred Gr 1 winner for his age.
But, he is a gelding so the win, pocketing his parents $600,000, is chicken feed to what might have been had he not been gelded.
“Look, he isn’t a big horse at all, but he does have the biggest heart.
“So we chose to geld him a while back. We took that approach to make him a genuine racehorse,” defended Bott.
He was stoic but he knew.
A colt with this pedigree with not just a Gr 1 win under his belt, but a runaway, dominant Gr 1 win, would be worth $20million right now.
In comparison, as a gelding, he might fetch $1.25million now if sold.
“If he continues to develop physically we can dream about what he can win and he could be very exciting.”
This was his 7th start and he now has won 3 races with 3 placings and the racing world is at his feet.
He was as impressive in his age group Gr 1 win as Zaaki was winning the $1.2million Sky Racing Q22 at WFA.
Oddly enough, the pair will probably clash later this year in the Gr 1 Cox plate.
