Snitzel colt Big Tree hit the front 250 metres from home and
defied all challenges to pull off a $61 shock win in Saturday's Group III Ken
Russell Memorial Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast.
The Peter Balzen-trained colt had made just one previous
start, an even fifth of 10 over 1100 metres at Doomben back on April 11.
Ridden by Michael Cahill, Big Tree found the fast lane in
the centre of the track to defeat the fast finishing Blueberry Hill
(Myboycharlie) by a neck with short-priced favourite Regatta Rebel (Redoute's
Choice) a battling third.
"We bred the horse so it's like one of the kids," Balzen
said
"We've had three foals (from the mare). We sold one for
$150,000 this year and we've got one on the ground by Foxwedge.
"Michael Cahill got
on him the other day and said he really liked his trials, so that always makes
you buoyant."
Part-owned and bred by his trainer, Big Tree is the fifth
foal of the Octagonal mare Croft who won two of her five starts.
All four that have raced have won including the
stakes-placed Grand Business (All Bar One).
Croft is out of Riverina Charm's stakes-placed half-sister
Ivy Cottage who also produced the dams of Darley's Group 1 winners Benfica and
Neroli.
Purchased for $10,000 by Balzen at the 2010 Magic Millions
National Broodmare Sale, Croft has a yearling filly by Snitzel that was
purchased for $150,000 at this year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling sale by
Wylie Dalziel/Moody Racing, and a weanling colt by Foxwedge.
She was not covered last spring.
Big Tree becomes the 31st stakes-winner and the 11th juvenile winner this season for Arrowfield Stud's highflying stallion Snitzel.
