Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott's world traveller Hush Writer (JPN) scored a fighting win in Friday's $200,000 Group III Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m).
Given the
run of the race by Tim Clark, Hush Writer (JPN) sat just off a hot pace set by Mawaany
Machine (IRE) and was strong to the line in defeating a gaggle of runners
carrying the Australian Bloodstock silks led by Attention Run (GER), who was
beaten a half-length with his favoured stablemate Our Candidate (IRE) a nose back in third.
"It was a real genuine tempo, which really suited him, and I loved the way he was travelling from the 800 onwards," Bott said.
"He will go to The Metropolitan next. That's the race we've had him targeted for and we will make a few plans after that."
The winner of the Listed McKell Cup at Rosehill on June 1, the 5yo son of Rulership advances his record to 3 wins, 3 seconds and 2 thirds from 12 starts with earnings of $319,556.
Hush Writer was purchased by Waterhouse, on behalf of Mt Hallowell Stud, Musk Creek Farm and partners at the 2015 JRA Select Foal Sale for 23 million yen.
He was broken in and did his early education in Japan before being sent to France, initially with Criquette Head-Maarek before transferring to Francis Graffard.
He debuted with a second a Longchamp before winning a 2000 metre maiden at the same track then earned his ticket to Australia with a third in the Group III Prix Hocquart at Chantilly.
A son of the Group 1 HKJC Queen Elizabeth II Cup winner Rulership (King Kamehameha), Hush Writer is the best of four winners from five to race out of the Tapit mare Star Of Sapphire who is a sister to the Grade 1 Santa Anita Las Virgenes Stakes winner and Grade 1 Lady's Secret Stakes winner Zazu and the Grade II Santa Anita Robert B Lewis Stakes winner and Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby runner-up Flashback.