Second Stakes in a Week for Sebring's Wu Gok

Mark Smith - Friday September 6

Wu Gok had two younger siblings beat him to the punch in landing a stakes win but the six-year-old son of Sebring is fast making up for lost time adding Friday's Listed Wyong Cup to his last start win in the Group III ATC Premier's Cup at Rosehill.

Settled just off a hot pace by James McDonald, the Chris Waller-trained gelding took control coming around the home turn and was strong to the line to defeat the Japanese-bred gelding Hush Writer (Rulership) by one and a half lengths with the winner's stablemate Vaucluse Bay (Al Maher) a nose back in third. (images Steve Hart)


Wu Gok carries the colours of Heritage Bloodstock that have achieved Group I success for the Waller stable aboard Champion 3YO Colt The Autumn Sun and dual Oaks winner Egg Tart.

"I felt like I was on The Autumn Sun halfway up," McDonald said.

"He did a great job today – found a really nice position early and I let him stride.

"He beat me last Saturday and I learned a little bit off him because he stayed on really well and I thought there won't be a horse that looks better than him today and he raced accordingly.

"It was a great effort by the team to back him up and have him run so well."

A $120,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Anton Koolman Bloodstock / Hermitage Thoroughbreds from the Widden Stud draft, Wu Gok advances his record to 9 wins, 6 seconds and 3 thirds from 32 starts with earnings of $576,035.

Bred by Robert Anderson and foaled and raised at Widden Stud, Wu Gok is the first foal of the Redoute's Choice mare Lipari who went from a 12-start, stakes-placed, maiden to one of the most valuable mares in the nation.

A $300,000 Easter Yearling, Lipari was purchased by Olly Tait's Twin Hills Stud for $170,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale carrying a filly by More Than Ready (USA), which was sold for $550,000 to Strawberry Hill Stud at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, but that is just part of the story.

When Twin Hills purchased Lipari, the daughter of Redoute's Choice had colts by Pierro and Sepoy waiting in the wings.

The Pierro colt named Levendi won the Group I ATC Australian Derby while the Sepoy colt named Marcel from Madrid won the Group III National Stakes at Morphettville.

Lipari's three year-old Sebring filly named Lombardia was a $500,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Widden draft for George Moore Bloodstock and is showing promise, finiahing fourth at Hawkesbury at her most recent start.

Twin Hills consigned Lipari to the 2019 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale where Gerry Harvey's Baramul Stud shelled out $1,600,000 to secure her carrying an October 18 service to I Am Invincible.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Best On Breeding
It's an embarrassment of three-year-old riches for Godolphin with In Secret and Golden Mile favoured to fight out Saturday's $1,000,000 Group 1 Golden Rose at Rosehill a week after Aft Cabin went to the head of betting for the Caulfield Guineas following a three and a half-length romp in the Guineas Prelude.  
Another G3 for Sebring Mare
Talented Sebring mare Nettoyer again showed her liking for the Randwick mile scoring her second Graded win at the distance when taking out the Group III ATC Angst Quality on Saturday.
Written By Filly Wins G3 Widden Stakes
It only seems fitting that the $250,000 Group III ATC Widden Stakes (1100m) should be won by the progeny of a Widden Stud based sire and on this occasion it was Written By that delivered the goods when his fast and professional filly The Playwright led all the way for a tenacious victory.
Melbourne Cup Winning Trainer Secures $625,000 Sebring Colt
Widden Stud’s much missed Sebring achieved his best result of the sale so far at Magic Millions on Friday when a stunning colt from Miss Rose de Lago fetched $625,000 to the bid of Danny O’Brien.
Hinekaha All Class in Oaks Prelude
Highly touted three-year-old Hinekaha justified some heavy support from punters as she showed her enormous promise in the Listed Grangewilliam Stud Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth on Saturday.
Satono Aladdin Making an Impact
Satono Aladdin (Jpn) was a newsmaker at Karaka in the past week with yearlings selling for up to $525,00 and he also had the top priced lot on both days of Karaka Book 2 and he made his presence felt at Rosehill on Saturday with a quality winner.
First Winner for First Season Prince Fawaz
Oaklands Stud’s first season stallion Prince Fawaz is on the board with a two year-old winner that promises to keep getting better as the races get longer.
Sires With Winners - Friday January 31
Here is the full list of 68 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Snitzel's Blitzburg Wins G3 Canonbury - Full Brother at Easter
Blitzburg brought up a two-year-old stakes double for Snitzel when winning the Group III Arrowfield Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday although the trainer isn’t confident about a Golden Slipper.
G3 Victory for $1.3million Snitzel Colt
Te Akau Racing’s million-dollar colt Return To Conquer delivered again in Saturday’s Gr.3 Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (1200m) at Ellerslie, improving his unblemished record to four trials and two raceday appearances.