Gold Front Thoroughbreds and its Group 1 stallion Awesome Rock received a timely update ahead of the Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale when Perfetto opened his account in Hong Kong on Sunday.
Perfetto won the On Ting Hcp (1600m) at Sha Tin like a very promising prospect for trainer David Hall and the Wizard Syndicate. He was at least a dozen lengths off the pace in the early stages before Zac Purton let him down to cruise past the leaders at the furlong.
Gold Front has catalogued his full-brother as Lot 11 at the Perth Magic Millions on February 23.
Perfetto (4g Awesome Rock - Sigaro by Lujain) started an even-money favourite and he can continue to make strong headway after Sunday’s impressive victory. “He’s always shown potential and the longer he’s been here, the better he’s got,” Hall said. “It was time to step him up in distance today and he did the job.”
Gold Front owners Alan and Sue Olive sold him through Attunga Stud for $150,000 at the 2020 Gold Coast Magic Millions. “He was a lovely yearling and had a bit more leg than the colt we’re selling this month,” Sue Olive recalled. “Our Swan Valley yearling looks a much early runner.”
The Olives kept a share in their 2yo full-brother World Tour who pulled up shinny on debut at Ascot on New Year’s Day. He’s impressed trainer Trevor Andrews who prepared Awesome Rock’s first winner Kaymay at Ascot in March 2021.
Their older half-sister Prete a Partir (Choisir) was Stakes-placed in Perth and her Gold Front-bred sprinter Eason (Written Tycoon) has won three races in Hong Kong for trainer Frankie Lor.
“The Awesome Rocks tend to come good as three and four year-olds,” Olive said. “Searchin’ Roc’s won the (Group 3) Champion Fillies from his first crop and we couldn’t be happier with the way he’s going at stud.”
Awesome Rock (Fastnet Rock) was a Group 1 winner of the VRC Emirates Stakes (2000m) at Flemington and Gold Front has catalogued seven of his 13 yearlings at the Perth Magic Millions.
Gold Front also sells the first yearlings by Leonardo Da Hinchi (Hinchinbrook) in the Swan Valley. Racing in the famed Black Heart Bart colours, he burst on to the scene with a 2yo win at Sandown before coming back as a spring 3yo to reinforce his stud credentials in the G2 Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley.
Known as ‘Leo’ at Gold Front, Leonardo Da Hinchi is from Octagonal mare Portrait who is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Jet Spur (Flying Spur). “He had a motor and is a good-natured horse,” Olive said. “He sires very strong foals typical of the Hinchinbrook – Fastnet Rock sireline.
“We have a Leonardo Da Hinchi colt out of Mafia Miss (Lot 292) that’s shaping up as a really nice type and so does Jaime O’Bree at RubyRacing & Breeding. Her colt is from Dominicus (Lot 246).”
Another first in Perth for Gold Front is the filly by Royal Meeting (Ire) from Perfetto’s half-sister Prete a Partir (Lot 163). “She’s a very nice filly. Not big but her dam isn’t either so we won’t hold that against the sire.”
Royal Meeting (I Am Invincible) won the Group 1 Criterium International (1400m) at Chantilly for Godolphin before he was secured to stand at Leneva Park in Victoria. His first southern yearlings sold to $240,000 on the Gold Coast last month.
