Champion
Thoroughbreds runners are usually seen to advantage on a bigger stage than
Wagga on a Tuesday, but this debut winner is a grand-son of Golden Slipper
winner Merlene so was an easy choice as the One to Watch.
Prepared at Canberra by Matthew Dale, three year-old Starcraft gelding I've Got
This was a short priced favourite for the 1200 metre maiden and did a good job
to get through the heavy ground to win by a neck with three lengths back to the
next horse.
A $75,000 Inglis Premier purchase for Champion from the Arrowfield Stud draft,
I've Got This is a half-brother to ill-fated Burnstone, who won the Listed MRC
Blue Diamond Preview on debut and then dropped dead of a heart attack only
weeks later.
Burnstone and I've Got This are the first two foals to race from Encosta de Lago's
Group II winner Merlene de Lago, a daughter of Merlene and half-sister to the
dam of Group I winner and $2.1 million earner Dear Demi.
This is also the family of 2016 Golden Slipper winner Capitalist, so I've Got
This has a bit to live up to on the pedigree front and has made a promising start.