The lone three-year-old in the race, the Hellbent gelding Hell I Am, gave his elders a start and beating in Wednesday’s Vinery Stallions (Bm72) over 1250m at Canterbury.
Ridden by Willie Pike for John O’Shea, the Champion Thoroughbred colourbearer defeated the fast-finishing Siyouni gelding Le Vizir by three-quarter of a length with Fastnet Rock gelding Papal Warrior a further two and a quarter lengths back in third.
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“They went at a good gallop, and he was off the bridle a tad, but he joined in nicely at the top of the rise and did a good job,” O’Shea said.
“(The Hellbents) will only get better as they get older.
“He is a really good tough sound horse and a good advertisement for the stallion.
“He has a nice future and has done a good job beating the older horses at this time of year.
“He is a Magic Millions horse, so we will try and pick off another race or two and get him ready for the carnival there.”
A $150,000 purchase for Champion Thoroughbreds from the Edinglassie Thoroughbreds draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Hell I Am is the first Australian foal for the takes-placed Arch mare Forest Circle (USA).
Forest Circle (USA) has a 2yo Astern filly named Motorboat, a yearling filly by Magna Grecia (IRE), and revisited Hellbent last spring.
