The current crop of two year-olds by Widden Stud’s much missed sire Sebring are sadly his last, but the Golden Slipper winner may well have some real stars among these babies including quality colt Sejardan, who scored a debut victory in the Group III ATC Breeders Plate (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Before the race, trainer Gary Portelli declared his horse had been trained for race day rather than the barrier trials and his assessment proved to be on the money.
Sejardan was a late closing second at the official trials last month beaten a half neck and improved markedly out of that performance.
Despite the worry of being backed out at the gates after he caught a hind leg on the side rail, Sejardan kept his composure when reloaded and was always professional for Jason Collett.
Cluttered away behind runners with 400m to run, Sejardan took a while to angle into clear ground, but showed a dazzling turn of foot to zoom past his rivals and win by a length and a quarter over expensive I Am Invincible colts Zambezi River and Emperor.
“He’s a beauty, he’s a really nice horse and has the best attitude, he’s a good type and he’s strong at the end of the race,” said Portelli.
Sejardan was a $160,000 Inglis Classic purchase for his trainer from the Middlebrook Valley Lodge draft and runs for a syndicate of stable clients including Portelli’s wife Kellie as well as John and Anne McDonnell, who were in the original ownership of Sebring.
Sejardan is the second foal and first winner for Miss Amajardan, a former smart spring two year-old Sydney winner by Hinchinbrook and a half-sister to speedy stakes horses Blazing Miss and Tristate.
Miss Amajardan has a yearling colt by Trapeze Artist and has foaled this spring producing a colt by Capitalist.
Sejardan is the 71st stakes-winner for Sebring, who sadly died in 2019 at the height of his powers with his brilliant sprinting son Supido set to carry on his line at Widden Stud with his first crop of two year-olds racing this season.
