It was a good day for some new Australian citizens to get off the mark in their adopted homeland, with the latest being the New Bay gelding New Mandate (IRE) in Saturday's Group III Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m).
Ridden by James McDonald for Chris Waller, New Mandate sailed down the middle of the track to defeat his stablemate Desert Icon (FR) (Sea The Stars) by two lengths, with Jojo Was A Man (Al Maher) a half-length back in third.
A €35,000 purchase for Elliott Bloodstock Services Limited at the 2019 Arqana August Yearling Sale, New Mandate was having his fourth start in Australia after making ten starts in Europe for Ralph Beckett.
The 5yo son of the Dubawi stallion New Bay strung three consecutive wins together at two culminating in the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes at Doncaster and the Group II Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket.
It earned him a trip to Keeneland for the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf where he failed to fire a shot. He bounced back at three to win the Listed Paradise Stakes at Ascot but was well-beaten in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes, Listed Wolferton Stakes and Group II Princess Of Wales’s Stakes before being banished to the colonies.
Stable representative Charlie Duckworth revealed that Beckett had a big opinion of New Mandate (IRE) who lost form after contracting a virus at three.
New Mandate (IRE) is the only winner from two to race for the Authorized mare Mishhar.
Mishhar is a half-sister to Group II-placed Puggy (Mark Of Esteem) the dam of Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (1,000 Guineas) and Prix de Diane (French Oaks) winner Avenir Certain (FR), in turn the dam of the Japanese Group II winner Des Ailes (Deep Impact).
