What an amazing twenty-four hours for the China Horse Club, Newgate Farm and partners, and champion stallion Snitzel.
Still on a high by the win of Wild Ruler in the Group 1 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley, connections were in a party mood again when the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained In The Congo ran a top-class field of three-year-old into the ground in Saturday’s $1,000,000 Group 1 XXXX Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill.
Racing in the colours of the China Horse Club, In The Congo kept up an energy sapping gallop under Tim Clark to defeat the favourite Anamoe (Street Boss) by a long-head with one and a quarter length back to Coastwatch (Fastnet Rock) in third.
Never further back than second in six career starts, In The Congo advanced his record to three wins and three seconds with earnings of $784,775.
&
t;He has a fantastic pedigree behind him and is a great type, Bott said.
“He has always had that raw natural speed and we’ve been in a fortunate position to get the opportunity from Newgate Farm, Henry Field and the connections to try and make these stallion prospects and he has well and truly stamped that today.
“We weren’t concerned about the 1400m, we knew he had that high cruising speed. He has the ability to sustain that and that was what we wanted to do today. Make it a real test for a few of those. Take away some of their brilliance and bring in his assets like his high cruising speed and that toughness He wears his heart on his sleeve every time he steps out. He was deserving a tough victory like this.
“We kept raising the bar from when he stepped out in the off season in the winter and through the early stages of the spring.
“We set him goals and he kept delivering. He’s still been putting it all together, but he has put it all together in a big way. We thought this was a good form race going down to the Coolmore and it would be a good lead up for that. We are mindful that he has been up for a while and he’s kicked a big goal now.
“We’ll see how he comes through that now. It’s a tough race today and expect him to bounce out well as he’s that type of horse. We want to do the right thing by him.”
Bred by Nordic Racing and Breeding, In The Congo was purchased by China Horse Club / Newgate Bloodstock for $350,000 out of the Newhaven Park draft at Easter 2020.
A three-quarter brother to the promising Hong Kong performer Pleasant Endeavor (Redoute’s Choice), In The Congo is the second winner from as many foals to race out of the Var mare Via Africa. (SAF).
The Champion Sprinter in South Africa in 2013-14, Via Africa won ten races highlighted by two wins in the Group I South African Fillies Sprint and the Group 1 Cape Flying Championship.
Ryan Bloodstock purchased a yearling Vancouver filly out of Via Africa (SAF), consigned by Newhaven Park, for $260,000 at Easter this year.
After missing to Not a Single Doubt in 2019, Via Africa (SAF) was covered by The Autumn Sun last spring.
Snitzel has made an amazing start to the new season after having his four year reign at the top being snapped by Written Tycoon last season.
