Backed to the exclusion of everything else in the race, the regally-bred Shalaa (IRE) colt Mornington Glory made a winning career debut over 1100m at Bendigo on Wednesday.
Ridden by Luke Currie for trainer Matt Laurie, Mornington Glory raced outside of Snappy Li'l Thing with the pair setting very pedestrian sectionals in the small field.
Mornington Glory looked to struggling to shake off Snappy Li'l Thing at the top of the straight, but with a tap of the whip to keep his mind on the job, Mornington Glory came clear in the closing stages.
The son of Shalaa (IRE) defeated the 4yo Star Witness gelding Foturi by three and three-quarter lengths with 3yo Magnus gelding Spirit Of Pepin a nose back in third.
Laurie has ambitious plans for the winner.
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t;It's a relief. The best winners are the long-priced ones because you don't expect them," Laurie said.
"I've had a big opinion of this horse from the beginning, so it was nice to see him kick off in good fashion.
"He will be better with horses going quicker in front of him, so he can settle off.
"A couple of taps with the stick, and he really put it together late. He will improve a hell of a lot from today.
"I would like to run him in the Danehill (Stakes), and depending on how he goes in that, the Coolmore (Stud Stakes)."
Bred by Gooree Stud, Mornington Glory was a $360,000 purchase for Matt Laurie Racing/Bahen Bloodstock/Andrew Williams Bloodstock from the Estate of Eduardo Cojuangco at the Magic Millions in 2020.
A half-brother to Group 1 ATC Golden Rose Stakes and Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas winner Hallowed Crown and Group III ATC Carbine Club Stakes winner Needs Further, both successful stallions, Mornington Glory is the final foal of Crowned Glory.
The daughter of Danehill won the Group III VRC Bloodhorse Breeders' Stakes and was runner-up to Belle du Jour in a dramatic Group 1 Golden Slipper in a 7-start career.
The Gooree Stud homebred had eleven colts, with no fillies to continue the line, before her retirement in June last year.
Crowned Glory's dam Significant Moment (Bletchingly) is a half-sister to a pair of Group 1 Australian Guineas winners, the great stallion Zabeel and Baryshnikov.
Shalaa’s return to Arrowfield Stud was perfectly timed with his daughter No Speak Alexander (IRE) earning Group 1 honours in the Leopardstown Matron Stakes.
