Trained by Lindsey Smith, who won the Victoria Derby in 2004 with Plastered,
Adelaide Ace broke his maiden at Northam at his second start and showed his
class and potential when stepping up in class and distance to win this 1800
metre contest by a short head."I'm a one-race-at-a-time man, I don't get too far ahead of myself because it leads to disappointment," Smith said.
"He (Adelaide Ace) had a bit of improvement. He did a bit of work (in the run), had a bit of cover and then kept trying to find the line.
"He looks like he'll run the journey. His coat still hasn't come out yet so he's got past the first hurdle."
Bred by Gartshore Bloodstock, Adelaide Ace was purchased via New Zealand Bloodstock's online auction house gavelhouse.com by respected Australian bloodstock agent John Foote.
Foote went to $110,000 to secure the son of Waikato stud's champion sire Savabeel as a weanling.
He is a full brother to Group III placed Savy Yong Blonk and three-quarter brother-in-blood to Group III winner Strike the Stars, who was lso Group I placed and fourth in two Derbies.
"He was a strong type and moved well," Foote said.
"I actually bought him for Darren Weir and I thought he was good buying."
In the same gavelhouse auction Foote also purchased his dam Ampin in foal to Savabeel for what was a record price of $211,000 at the time.
"They were the first horses I bought off gavelhouse," Foote said.
"Savy Yong Blonk was just being broken in at the time and I bought the mare for some friends of mine.
"The mare had a Savabeel colt and he is now a two-year-old that has gone to Tony Gollan."
