Grahame Begg has had to be patient with the handsome sibling to Group I winner Written By and Group II winner C’Est Magique and he was rewarded at Kyneton on Wednesday when the lightly raced Written Tycoon colt raced to a stylish victory.
Unplaced on debut back in April, Royal Insignia was spelled afterwards and resumed with a third on heavy ground at Pakenham last month.
Appreciating a return to firm footing for this 1200m maiden, Royal Insignia showed a nice turn of foot to accelerate home and win by the best part of a length.
Bred and retained to race by the Begg family, Royal Insignia is the eighth winner from eight to race from exceptional producer Yau Chin, whose star son Written By stands at Widden Stud, while her star daughter C’Est Magique was bought by Tom Magnier for $1.7million at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale this year.
“He’s been a work in progress and being still a colt it has taken a while for him to work it out,” said Grahame Begg.
“He got lost at his first start at Bendigo when we thought he had a nice chance and then he floundered at Pakenham on the very heavy ground, but coming back to a good track today we knew he would run well.
“The horse has got good upside and as I said, he’s a work in progress.”
The Begg family sold a yearling filly by Capitalist from Yau Chin at Magic Millions this year in the Widden draft to China Horse Club for $370,000 and she has foaled this spring producing a filly by Zoustar that is a full sister to C’Est Magique.
Yau Chin has now been retired so this Zoustar filly is her final foal.