Headwater Strikes Again with the Promising Gunnamatta

With three winners in the past two weeks, Vinery Stud’s Headwater continued his late season rally when the Richard and Michael Freedman-trained Gunnamatta toughed out a well-deserved win in Wednesday’s the Yes Yes Yes @ Coolmore Mdn (1150m) on the Kensington track at Randwick to chalk up winner number eight for the son of Exceed And Excel.

Beaten three-quarters of a length when making his career debut at Warwick Farm on June 8, Gunnamatta was ridden along early by Brenton Avdulla to hold a spot behind the leader Sharpshooter.

No sooner had the son of Headwater reeled in Sharpshooter, he came under attack from the Not A Single Doubt colt Jimmy’s Dream who clearly took a slight advantage before Gunnamatta rallied to win by a short-neck with Sharpshooter a half-length back in third.

“He spiked a temperature and missed a run last week, but he’s turned up and won well today,” Richard Freedman told Sky Racing.

“He’s a lovely colt and probably wants a firmer surface and more ground.”

The first lot into the ring at the 2019 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Gunnamatta was purchased by Mitchell Bloodstock (FBAA) / McEnnis Racing for $80,000 out of the Stonehouse Thoroughbreds draft after he had been pinhooked by Stonehouse Thoroughbreds/Bill Thomas for $40,000 out of the Kambula Stud draft at the 2018 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.

A three-quarter brother to the Group III ATC James Carr Stakes winner Yattarna (Exceed And Excel) and a half-brother to the stakes-placed Fromparis Withlove (Smart Missile), Gunnamatta is the seventh winner from as many to race out of the stakes-winning Umatilla mare Umaquest.

Not served in 2017, Umaquest missed in 2018 before visiting Russian Revolution last spring.

Gunnamatta's Melbourne winning half-sister Alexandra Dreaming is in the Attunga Stud draft at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale (Lot 109)

With time rapidly running out before the end of the season Coolmore’s Pride Of Dubai continues to lead the way for the first season sire title with prizemoney of almost $1.2 million from 10 winners. He is $200,000 ahead of Aquis Farm’s ill-fated Spill The Beans who continues to lead the way for number of individual winners (12).

Headwater is currently equal third for number of winners and fifth on earnings, which should please Vinery as they are launching the career of another son of Exceed And Excel, the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Exceedance.