Bred and sold by Segenhoe at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for $280,000, Trapeze Artist colt Ducasse was not beaten far in Group I races at his last two starts and struck winning form at Randwick on Saturday in the $250,000 Group III ATC Carbine Club Stakes (1600m).
Trained by Michael Freedman and ridden by Blake Shinn, Ducasse was Group placed last spring and took another step forward with this career best performance.
He enjoyed a good run in transit from gate two and set sail for home full of running when he got into the clear, opening up to win by a length over the late closing Tannhauser.
Ducasse was purchased at Inglis Easter by Michael Freedman Racing / Julian Blaxland Bloodstock and runs for a syndicate of owners that include his breeders Segenhoe and Peter O’Brien.
“There are a great bunch of people involved and he’s a horse that has been all around the better colts and coming back to the mile today from the 2000m of the Rosehill Guineas suited him,” said Michael Freedman.
“Thanks to Tommy Berry who galloped him for me on Tuesday. It was his recommendation to take the blinkers off so I probably owe him one there.
“Right from day one he’s always given me a good impression, but at times he’s been a little bit frustrating and has also been hampered by a few bad barriers, but he’s definitely got his share of ability.”
Ducasse has two wins from 10 starts with prizemoney in excess of $350,000 and is a half-brother to Group III winner Serene Majesty, stakes-winner Curdled plus two more stakes horses from terrific producing Lonhro stakes-winner Custard.
A half-sister to stakes-winner Russian Caravan, Custard has had seven foals for six winners and five have gained Black Type!
Segenhoe will offer the yearling Zoustar filly from Custard at Inglis Easter as Lot 476 and she produced another filly by Zoustar last spring before missing to Anamoe.
Ducasse is the second stakes-winner for Widden Stud’s Trapeze Artist, who is the leading second season sire by earnings and winners and had another new Black Type horse in the following race with promising filly Concello grabbing third in the Group III ATC Adrian Knox Stakes..
