Three year-old High Chaparral (IRE) colt Gothenburg had shown promise with two
seconds and a fourth in December and January before resuming from a let-up to
win the 1500 metre maiden at Hawkesbury by half a length.Fitted with blinkers and ridden back in the field by Jason Collett, Gothenburg came with a barnstorming finish down the outside to win running away.
A $550,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Segenhoe Stud draft for David Raphael/ Jadeskye Racing, Gothenburg has something in common with Australian Horse of the Year Winx as he was also bred by Fairway Thoroughbreds.
Gothenburg is a half-brother to South African Group II winner Merlene de Lago and to the dam of Group I winner Dear Demi being the eighth winner from nine foals to race from Merlene.
Merlene is not the only Golden Slipper winner from this family with last year's winner Capitalist being a grand-son of Merlene's full sister Compulsion.
Rising 24, Merlene was on-sold by Fairway Thoroughbreds in 2014 fetching $150,000 at the Inglis Broodmare Sale when bought by Queensland based Daandine Thoroughbreds, who bred and sold Capitalist.
