The aggressive stance adopted by Racing NSW in taking on the Melbourne Spring Carnival with a series of lucrative races in Sydney produced a dream result for Star Thoroughbreds on Saturday when classy Shooting to Win colt Kubrick took out the inaugural $1million ATC Bondi Stakes (1600m).
The race proved a showcase for second crop sires with Kubrick defeating Dissident gelding Pancho with third place taken by Colada, whose sire Brazen Beau also had a stakes double at Moonee Valley courtesy of Ideas Man and Sartorial Splendor (read about them here).
The first two home were prepared by Chris Waller, who did a masterful job in bringing Kubrick back from a disastrous trip to Melbourne for the Caulfield Guineas, a race won by his sire in 2014.
Kubrick drew wide on that occasion, was slowly away and had a tough run before eventually beating just two runners to the line.
He rebounded here under a daring ride from Brenton Avdulla, powering through a narrow gap on the fence to score a dominant length victory over fast finishing Pancho taking his overall record to three wins from seven starts with earnings in excess of $800,000.
"It is amazing what good horses can do,” said Avdulla.
"My foot is on fire from the paint. He won like a top class colt. It is always nice to ride a winner, but with a million dollars next to it is even better.
“He wasn't beaten far in a Golden Rose, finishing next to Castelvecchio who was stiff not to win the Spring Champion. You forgave him the Caulfield Guineas after drawing wide and he didn't have much luck.
“Blinkers on today and a master trainer who always gets them spot on."
His stablemate Pancho was brave in defeat, the son of Dissident appealing as a bright prospect over further.
"He ran a tremendous race, he gave me a good feel going down to the barriers,” said his rider Glyn Schofield.
“Relaxed beautifully like you would want over the mile, he let go well, but the winner was too good."
A $250,000 Inglis Premier purchase for Star Thoroughbreds from the Two Bays Farm draft, Kubrick is the third winner of a $1million race this year for Denise Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds joining Invincibella (Magic Millions Mares) and Fiesta (Inglis Sprint).
Yet another success on Saturday for Victorian breeders, Kubrick was bred and sold by Two Bays Farm and is the first winner from Alcatraz, a three-quarter sister by Fastnet Rock to stakes-winner Chic Choice from the family of Group I winners Fairy King Prawn, Easy Rocking and Cosmic Endeavour, who is by Northern Meteor, the sire of Kubrick’s sire Northern Meteor.
Alcatraz has a yearling filly by Written Tycoon and has foaled this spring producing a colt by the same sire.
Kubrick might not have a stakes win on his resume yet, but he is the flagbearer for his sire Shooting to Win, who stands at Darley NSW at a fee of $22,000, a sum that is half that of his full brother Deep Field.
Kubrick a Star Winner of Inaugural $1million Bondi Stakes
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Race Result - Bondi Stakes 1600m
Randwick Track: Good(3) Time: 1:34.75
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: B Avdulla 57
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: G Schofield 57
Tnr: G A Ryan Rdr: R Dolan 57
Tnr: Chris Anderson Rdr: Rachel King 57
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Tim Clark 57
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Jean Van Overmeire 57
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: J Ford 55
Tnr: Ms K Waugh Rdr: J R Collett 57
Tnr: G A Ryan Rdr: G Boss 57
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