Every time Spirit Of Boom has faced a challenge for his lead for the number of two-year-old winners, he has answered the call, his latest coming with the promising Spirit Of Nurai in the Become An MRC Member Hcp (1350m) at Sandown-Lakeside.
Ridden by Daniel Stackhouse for Mick Price and Michael Kent (Jnr), Spirit Of Nurai came from second last to overpower the leader Spellmaster (Savabeel), with a further back to Double Glazed (Frosted) who seemed only to get interested over the final 100m.
A $100,000 purchase for MG Price Racing & Breeding from the Newhaven Park Stud draft at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, the daughter of Spirit Of Boom was a luckless third in the Donald Classic at her career debut on June 17.
Mick Price said Spirit Of Nurai was primed to atone, although she was ready for a spell.
“She is fine but had just enough petrol for today and will go to the paddock,” Price said.
“She is a very quiet filly, and I took a punt on today because I say if she won at Donald, where do you place her? Why go to a maiden? If she won at Donald, I would have gone to this race.
“There was pace on; it set up nicely, and Stackhouse rode her well.
“I bought her off Newhaven. I find John Kelly good to deal with; he sets reasonable reserves. It’s a generational farm that has had so many Group 1 winners. For $100,000 by a proven stallion, I thought she was a reasonable buy. I was rapped to get her to the point where I put my own up.”
Spirit Of Nurai is the fourth winner from as many to race from the unraced Mossman mare Gentle.
Sold by Newhaven Park for $5,500 at the 2021 Inglis July (Early) Online Sale, Gentle is a daughter of the Group 1 Queensland Oaks heroine Allow (Rahy).
Figtree Thoroughbreds consigned an Xtravagant colt to the 2023 Magic Millions March Yearling Sale, where he failed to make his $20,000 reserve.
Gentle has a weanling colt by Heroic Valour and was covered by the Fastnet rock stallion again last spring.
Spirit Of Nurai is the 21st 2yo winner of the season for Eureka Stud’s Spirit Of Boom, giving him some breathing space over his nearest pursuers, I Am Invincible (18) and Russian Revolution (18).
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