It
wasn't hard to find this three year-old Northern Meteor colt as a One to Watch when he won on
debut at Gosford last month by 10 lengths and at Canterbury today he upped the
ante again looking every inch a fitting replacement for his sire's now retired gun
colt Zoustar.
Partnered again by Victorian jockey Dwayne Dunn, who rode him on debut, Deep
Field led throughout and coasted clear to win by four and a half lengths over
1100 metres at Black Caviar odds.
"He found the front but wanted to get a bit aggressive once he got there,"
Dunn said.
"But he settled down for the last half and gives you a really good kick."
It was a rare mid-week appearance from his trainer John Hawkes, who wanted the
horse to learn something "for bigger and better things".
"He won as we expected him to," Hawkes said. "We'll just be patient
with him and see where we go.
"He's got to learn to switch off a bit more.
"If you get to the top level you've got to switch off, but it's all about
learning, he was only having his second start in a race and has a very bright
future."
A $440,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the draft of Edinglassie Stud, Deep
Field runs for Alan Bell and the Kia Ora Stud Syndicate.
He was the most expensive yearling from the first crop of Northern Meteor and
is a full brother to this season's unbeaten two year-old Shooting to Win, who
has won at his only two starts.
Deep Field is the first foal of stakes-winning Elusive Quality (USA) mare
Listen Here, who comes from the Cotehele House branch of the Eight Carat family
that has produced Group I stars Danewin and Emerald Dream as well as leading
sire Commands.
The last crop of yearlings by Northern Meteor will be offered at sales next
year.