A big result for Aquis Farm in Saturday’s Group III Iron Jack Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Randwick with the stud’s colours carried by the winner, the $1,600,000 Redoute’s Choice colt Prague and the runner-up, the Breeders’ Plate winner Global Quest.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and Tom Marquand show rolled on as a Marquand positioned Prague outside of the frontrunning Nitrous who he quickly dropped off turning for home.
The More Than Ready colt Global Quest tracked Prague in the run but with 3kgs worse of at the weights and a bumping dual with third placed Fastnet Rock colt Return With Honour, Global Quest could get no closer than two and a quarter lengths from the winner.
“I had a bit of a feeling about him today with the shades on and how he had come on in his coat from his first up run, there is a bit of timing about him,” Maher said.
“Again, a great job by the team. Tom Marquand is riding up a storm. He’s a very strong rider and had to feel a bit for him there because he got a bit lost when he hit the front.
“They are a great team of owner. Aquis, Mr Fong, put a lot into racing and there are a few other owners in this colt whose old man Redoute’s (Choice) passed away so hopefully this is the colt to fill the void.
“He’s a very relaxed customer and I think he still has a lot of improvement in him. He’ll take a lot from that today he actually pricked his ears and started to work out what it’s all about.
“He is a lovely physical and has a very bright future. He’s a natural with a beautiful temperament so he ticks all the boxes so it’s pretty exciting.
“He might need a bit more money (to make the Golden Slipper) and a bit more experience.”
A first-up winner at Canterbury on January 17, Prague becomes the 171st stakes-winner for the deceased Redoute’s Choice.
Bred by G S A Bloodstock, Prague was purchased by Phoenix Thoroughbreds and Aquis Farms for $1,600,000 out of the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft at the 2019 Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
A half-brother to dual Group 1 winner and young Widden Stud stallion Stratum Star, Prague is the sixth foal of the lightly race Pins mare Purely Spectacular who was purchased by Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock for $300,000 on behalf of Jonathan Munz at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Also the dam of the multiple stakes-placed winner Serenade (Star Witness), Purely Spectacular is a sister to the Group 1 ARC Diamond Stakes runner-up Raid and is a great granddaughter of the champion Emancipation.
Purely Spectacular slipped in two seasons following Prague and was covered by Snitzel last spring.
