The
opening race at Canterbury on Friday night produced a quinella for Newhaven
Park graduates with So You Think colt Higher Ground surging past Fastnet Rock gelding
Zeppelin to score his first win.
Prepared by Chris Waller, Higher Ground was having his third start following a
good second on debut last month and then a fourth placing on November 7 at
Randwick.
He relished the step up to 1550 metres and hit the line strongly for Glyn
Schofield to win running away by more than two lengths in the manner of a horse
that will be winning more races.
A $210,000 Magic Millions purchase for Debbie Kepitis' Woppitt Bloodstock, Higher
Ground is the first winner for Dark Vision, a winning daughter of Encosta de
Lago from the family of Group I winners Bonneval, Champagne and St Reims.
Given his pedigree, once can't help but think Higher Ground is going to get a
lot further as he matures.
The runner-up Zeppelin, from Newhaven Park's former very good mare Media, fetched
$500,000 at Inglis Easter and runs for a partnership that includes the Kelly
family who bred him.
He has now been placed at his last three starts so a win cannot be far off.