With a name that sadly gives me flashbacks to a childhood where the Muppet Show has left subconscious memories that are apparently embedded deep (Kermit, anybody?), exciting three year-old Rainbow Connection announced himself as a serious horse to follow from the Randwick meeting on Wednesday with a sparkling debut win.
Trained by Matt Dunn from his Sydney base at Warwick Farm, Rainbow Connection had been trialling well in the lead up to his debut and ran right up to expectation when charging clear for an easy two and a half length win in the 1150m maiden.
A $150,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Element Hill draft for Matthew Dunn/Neil Jenkinson, the son of Choisir runs for a syndicate that includes members of the Hutchins family who bred him.
“I’d like to thank the Hutchins family as they have been very patient and let us do our work with him,” said stable representative Keira Dunn.
“He went shinsore last time and we had to send him to the paddock, but he’s always had plenty of ability.”
Bred by the Hutchins family at their Element Hill farm, Rainbow Connection is a big powerful chestnut very much stamped by his sire Choisir. He is a half-brother to Hong Kong superstar Golden Sixty, the Champion 4YO last season in HK and a triple Group I winner of 16 races, as well as stakes-placed Igitur.
Rainbow Connection is the sixth winner from eight foals to race from Gaudeamus (USA), an imported Group II winner, whose current yearling, a filly by Capitalist, sold for $425,000 by Element Hill at Magic Millions this year to All Winners Thoroughbreds.
Gaudeamus was covered by Medaglia D’Oro’s Golden Slipper winning son Vancouver last spring so will produce a three-quarter sibling later this year to Golden Sixty, who is by Medaglia D’Oro.
