Godolphin will let the dust settle before determining where Tarpaulin fits into their spring plans following the well-related colt’s classy maiden win at Warwick Farm.
A half-brother to multiple Group winner and stablemate Aft Cabin, Tarpaulin had shown promise at his only two starts to date, including a first-up second to Mawjood at the same venue last month.
Backed in to start a $1.80 favourite in Wednesday’s Schweppes Handicap (1200m), Tarpaulin camped on the back of the leaders for Zac Lloyd and sprinted quickly in the straight to comfortably defeat barn mate Diamond Firetail ($17) by 2-1/4 lengths with Trunk ($6) holding third after leading, another half-length away.
Representing Godolphin head trainer James Cummings, Darren Beadman said the youngster stripped fitter for his first-up effort and showed the benefit of race experience to score.
“He turned up today and looked a little bit fitter and knew what it was all about,” Beadman said.
“He put himself in the right spot and won with a lot of authority.
“He’s a promising colt.”
Beadman said Godolphin would see how Tarpaulin came through the run before setting any concrete plans but felt the rising three-year-old might be best placed given a freshen-up and targeted towards the backend of the spring.
“We’ll let the horse decide where we go with him,” he said.
“He’s probably not one to be having three or four runs going into the spring.
“We’ve got a lot of nice colts and fillies coming through, so it’s always good to have as many strings in your bow as you can at the right time.
“It’s a long spring.”
Runner-up Diamond Firetail is a half-sister to 2022 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) winner Honeycreeper and while she might not have the brilliance of Tarpaulin, Beadman expects her to improve as her distances are increased.
“This horse (Tarpaulin) is a different gravy to her, but in saying that she will hold her head pretty high as she gets through her preparation,” Beadman said.
Tarpaulin’s win continued Lloyd’s good run of form after the star apprentice celebrated his first four-winner haul at a Saturday metropolitan meeting at Randwick last weekend.
An easy watch for favourite backers in the first at Warwick Farm! The heavily backed Tarpaulin wins for @godolphin.@zaclloydx picks things up right where he left them at Randwick on Saturday 💥 pic.twitter.com/1WxtO2KssD
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 10, 2024
