The highest price lot at the 2019 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, North Pacific showed he could be a major player in the three-year-old features in the spring following a hugely impressive performance in Saturday’s Darley 2yo Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens.
Making his first start since finishing third behind the subsequent Golden Slipper winner Farnan in the Group II Silver Slipper over the same track and distance on February 22 when on debut, North Pacific was in a tricky spot three back on the rails.
However, Koby Jennings was able to ease the son of Brazen Beau into clear air shortly after turning for home. Once balanced up the Hawkes Racing-trained colt came with a barnstorming finish defeat the Hinchinbrook filly Sahra by two and a half lengths withthe Sebring filly Shaik a further one and a quarter lengths back in third.
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Bookmakers tightened North Pacific to $15 for the Golden Rose.
“He’s a lovely colt. I have to give Koby a wrap there, he just got the colt balanced,” co trainer Michael Hawkes said.
“The last thing I said to Koby was let him go through his gears and hit the line strong and he has done that.
“Orbis have got another good one on their hands. That’s what we do make colts and we’ve got another one.
“I know he got through it (the heavy ground) but I don’t think he loved it but his ability got him there.
“It was important for him to win as a two-year-old and now that he has ticked that box he is going to be a force to be reckoned with.
“Orbis have put a lot of money into the industry and they are starting to reap the rewards.”
Consigned by Bhima Thoroughbreds on behalf of his breeder David Gillies, the stunning son of Brazen Beau was the fourth horse led into the ring at the 2019 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale where he made a sale-topping $800,000 to the bid of Orbis Bloodstock.
He is the fourth foal and first winner out of the unraced O’Reilly mare Up In Lights, a half-sister to 13-time winner and Group 1-placed Spin Doctor out of the winning Octagonal mare Love The Limelight who is a half-sister to the crack racehorse, the 4-time Group 1 winner Metal Bender (Danasinga).
Robert Roulston Bloodstock purchased Up In Light’s Maurice (JPN) colt for $100,000 out of the Three Bridges draft at this year’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling.
Up In Light’s was covered by Brazen Beau again last spring.
Brazen Beau heads an impressive roster at Darley Stud’s Northwood property in Victoria for the forthcoming season where he commands a fee of $49,500.
