A dashing bay with a sparkling silver tail, Dundeel colt Henlein was an eye-catcher in the mounting yard and showed ability to match when the half-brother to dual Group I winner Magic Time made a winning debut at Bendigo on Tuesday.
Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, Henlein has been given time to mature, but has obviously shown plenty of ability as he went to the post a short priced favourite for the 1300m maiden taking on older rivals.
He was given a quiet ride back in the field by Craig Williams and when a run presented, the colt powered to the line to win by more than a length.
“The plan today was just to give him a good experience,” said Craig Williams.
“The stable thought they might be a bit quick for him today, but they were confident if he got the right run he might be good enough to win and they were right.”
A $300,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Freedman Racing/Julian Blaxland from the Milburn Creek draft, Henlein runs for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid al Maktoum, whose yellow and black colours are also carried by this year’s Group I Irish 2000 Guineas winner Rosallion.
Bred by Milburn Creek, Henlein is the third foal and third winner from Group III winning Nicconi mare Time Awaits, who has found fame and fortune as the dam of dual Group I winning $2.1million earner Magic Time.
Time Awaits has a yearling colt by Maurice (Jpn) that was withdrawn from Inglis Easter and after missing to Wild Ruler is due to foal this spring to I Am Invincible, with the resulting foal to be a three-quarter sibling to Magic Time, who is by I Am Invincible’s sire son Hellbent.