Godolphin and James Cummings have produced another two-year-old winner with Amur stepping out on debut to score at Moonee Valley.
The well-related Amur took out the Ladbrokes Mates Mode Handicap (1200m) on Saturday with the Godolphin team electing to run on Saturday instead of tackling a maiden two-year-old contest at Geelong on Monday.
Ridden by Damien Oliver, Amur ($4.80) scored by a half-length from Chill The Krug ($7) with the $2.90 favourite Cantolago a half-length away third.
Amur is a son of Snitzel from the Animal Kingdom mare Leopard who was retired after one start.
Leopard is from out of Essaouira, an Exceed And Excel mare, who produced two Group 1 winners – Astern and Alizee.
Essaouira also produced Tassort, who was the 2019 Golden Slipper favourite following a debut win in the Golden Gift before finishing second in the Group 2 Silver Slipper (1100m).
Tassort was retired after an attempted comeback as a three-year-old was aborted after finishing last in a barrier trial in February 2020.
Amur had finished second last in a barrier trial at Warwick Farm in November before being sent to Melbourne where he had two jump-outs at Flemington in preparation for Saturday’s debut.
The colt proved a handful for Oliver, who was having his first sit aboard Amur, but a solid preliminary knocked the two-year-old into shape before Saturday’s race.
“It was my first sit on him, and I thought I would take him down and give him a good strong prelim, just to try and knock those rough edges off him,” Oliver said.
“I think that helped him a bit.
“You wouldn’t mind buying him by the kilo, there’s plenty of him.
“He’s like a three-year-old already and there’s a bit of improvement to come, both physically and mentally too.”
Oliver said he was unsure where Amur would sit in the two-year-olds seen around Australia to date.
“He’s won at his first start, so you can’t ask for much more,” Oliver said.
