A runaway winner at Cranbourne when on debut, Endanger had little luck when beaten into third at Moonee Valley at his most recent start. That caught the eye of punters who sent the son of Medaglia d’Oro off as favourite for Saturday’s Listed Polytrack Gothic Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
With Jye McNeil in the saddle, the Godolphin colour-bearer needed to pull out all stops to run down the frontrunning Exceed And Excel colt Osamu by a half-length with a length back to the fast-finishing So You Think colt So Let’s Toast in third.
Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, Endanger is the only live foal of the smart Flying Spur mare Hazard who was trained by Lee and Anthony Freedman for Godolphin.
“Godolphin have been great supporters of the family, and we are very fortunate to get a horse like this,” Sam Freedman said.
“Lee and dad trained her (Hazard). She was a good mare who won a stakes race in Adelaide. We had the full brother (Insigne) who is unfortunately not with us anymore so this is the last runner of the family as Hazard passed away, so he is destined to be a good horse.
“He is very lazy. He looked to have a lot to offer there and was just idling until in the straight.
“We will go to the Carbine (Club Stakes) now and possibly on to the Sandown Guineas. He is a horse on the up, and certainly, in three or four months, he will improve. We are just pleased to get a win in stakes company.
Endanger’s dam Hazard won 10 of 30 starts including the Group II Dane Ripper Stakes and Group III Proud Miss Stakes.
She was one of four stakes-winners for the Fantastic Light mare Dawn Attack, the Group III winners Java (Medaglia d’Oro), Crucial (Nadeem) and Antelucan (Domesday).
Dawn Attack is an unraced half-sister to the triple Group 1 winner Desert King the sire of Makybe Diva and Desert War.
Endanger becomes the 142nd stakes-winner for the former Darley shuttler Medaglia d’Oro (USA).
