On Yulong Stud Newmarket Stakes Day at Flemington, the exciting 2yo colt Veight credited Yulong's first-season stallion Grunt with a maiden stakes success in a dramatic $300,000 Group II MSS Security Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m).
Ridden by Damian Lane for Tony and Calvin McEvoy, Veight kept his record at a perfect two for two when powering home to a two-length triumph over the Fiorente (IRE) colt Apulia with the Snitzel colt Amur in third.
It franked the form of a 2yo maiden at Pakenham on February 2, where Veight trounced Apulia by six lengths.
Two runners, Flyball (Jamie Kah) and Dubenenko (Craig Williams) came down.
"That was a fantastic win," Calvin McEvoy enthused.
"Obviously, it's a bit of a different program leading into a 1400-metre two-year-old race, but we had to trust his ability.
"He's gone five-and-a-half weeks with a very soft trial. We feel he's got so much improvement to come, which makes today's win even more special.
"We always thought seven furlongs and probably a mile would be his distance.
"It's fantastic for Wayne Mitchell and the connections, Ray Pawsey, a lot of them here on the course, but he's an exciting colt with a very exciting future.
"The ATC Sires is three weeks away, there's improvement to come, and then we'll reassess after that."
Damian Lane said the decision to bypass the Blue Diamond was rewarded.
"This horse was well-placed today, he was well-prepared, and it was just such a smart decision to bypass the Blue Diamond and set him for this race because I don't think it would have suited him," Lane said.
Veight was a $220,000 Inglis Classic purchase for McEvoy Mitchell Racing / Belmont Bloodstock from the Sledmere Stud draft. The son of Grunt was a successful pinhook, having been bought by Sledmere Stud/Cangon as a weanling from Yulong at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale for $100,000.
He is the second winner from three to race for the Group III winning Fastnet Rock mare Neena Rock, a $500,000 purchase for Yulong at the 2015 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale.
Neena Rock has a yearling filly by Grunt and was covered last spring by Tagaloa after missing the year before.
A dual Group 1 winning son of O'Reilly, Grunt stands at Yulong Stud for $13,750.
