With five stakes-placings, A Lot Of Good Men chose the right spot to break his stakes drought in Saturday’s $400,000 Group II Schweppes WATC Derby (2400m) at Ascot.
Ridden by Jarrad Noske for Trevor Andrews, the son of A Lot (USA) relished every metre of the mile-and-a-half classic to come from midfield to defeat the Pride Of Dubai gelding Buckets Ridge by two and a quarter lengths with the Playing God gelding Lord Vampi a short-neck back in third.
A $42,000 purchase for his trainer from the Mungrup Stud draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, A Lot Of Good Men advances his record to four wins, four seconds, and three thirds from 17 starts with earnings of $753,240.
“He has probably been the most consistent horse in the state without winning,” Andrews said.
“His three previous wins came at 1200m or less, so for him to win a Derby, with a peach of a ride by Jarrad, is a credit to the horse.
“Credit goes to the breeder Gray Williamson. He is a half-brother to Bustler, and Grey does a great job.
“It’s such a deserving win. This ride will go down in the archives.
“A special mention goes to my wife, Joan, who has done all of the work on him lately, and to my foreman Jason Smith and all the staff.
“We put together this group of guys a few years ago in All The Kings Men, and it just got bigger and better. It’s going to be a big night.”
A Lot Of Good Men is the second stakes-winner from as many to race for the Oratorio (AUS) mare Cosmah Domination after the Group 1 Perth Railway Stakes winner Bustler (Playing God).
Purchased by Scarborough Investments for $7,500 at 2020 Mungrup Stud Dispersal, Cosmah Domination’s Playing God filly topped the Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale when Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) had the final at $625,000 on the Mungrup consigned filly.
After slipping in 2022, Cosmah Domination was bred back to Playing God last spring.
A Lot Of Good Men is the second stakes-winner for Westbury Park Stud’s stakes-winning Tapit stallion A Lot (USA), who covered a career-high 73 mares last spring at an increased fee of $9,350.
