Tulloch Lodge has continued its good start to the two-year-old season with Written Tycoon youngster Sovereign Hill scoring a commanding debut win at Warwick Farm.
A $280,000 Inglis Classic purchase from the draft of Silverdale Farm, the well-bred colt is out of Taraji who is half-sister to Group 1 winner Music Magnate.
He came into Wednesday’s Drinkwise Plate (1000m) at Warwick Farm off just one barrier trial with trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott keen to leave a bit in the tank as they direct him towards the $1 million Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill on November 11.
“There are a couple of nice targets for him. He’s a horse we want to try to get towards the Golden Gift,” Bott said.
“It has become a really important race on the program, a top finish in that secures you a ticket into a race like the Golden Slipper in the autumn.
“The fact he’s been able to come here today, get some important prizemoney on the board, get some experience.
“They ran good time there today, a class record, so it was a pretty sharp performance and there’s plenty of upside going forward.”
Waterhouse and Bott had a brilliant season with their juveniles during 2022-23 with 37 winners, seven of them at black-type level.
They have taken that form into the new term with Sovereign Hill’s victory following that of barn mate Espionage, who led home a stable quinella over Straight Charge in the Breeders’ Plate (1000m) to open Sydney’s two-year-old racing season on September 30.
Sovereign Hill wasn’t the only well-bred colt to salute at Warwick Farm, with Need Some Luck also getting the job done for Peter and Paul Snowden in the Precise Air Plate (1200m).
The three-year-old is by Rubick out of two-time Group 1 winner Lovely Jubly, making him a three-quarter brother to former superstar sprinter Chautauqua.
While Need Some Luck’s winning margin over runner-up Keenan was narrow, the pair streeted third placegetter Pajanti by 4-1/2 lengths and Peter Snowden said the winner had plenty of upside.
“He was always three-deep throughout. He’s got a fair bit of improvement to come but he’ll need to, I thought he might have won a bit better than that,” Peter Snowden said.
“But a win is a win, we’ll take it no matter how it comes but I’m sure there is more to come this prep.
“I hope we don’t have to geld him, he’s a lovely colt and it would be good to keep him that way.”
