A big result for Aquis Farm in Saturday’s Group III Iron Jack Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Randwick with the stud’s colours carried by the winner, the $1,600,000 Redoute’s Choice colt Prague and the runner-up, the Breeders’ Plate winner Global Quest.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and Tom Marquand show rolled on as a Marquand positioned Prague outside of the frontrunning Nitrous who he quickly dropped off turning for home.
Prague makes it two for two in Canonbury Stakes - images Steve Hart
The More Than Ready colt Global Quest tracked Prague in the run but with 3kgs worse of at the weights and a bumping dual with third placed Fastnet Rock colt Return With Honour, Global Quest could get no closer than two and a quarter lengths from the winner.
“I had a bit of a feeling about him today with the shades on and how he had come on in his coat from his first up run, there is a bit of timing about him,” Maher said.
“Again, a great job by the team. Tom Marquand is riding up a storm. He’s a very strong rider and had to feel a bit for him there because he got a bit lost when he hit the front.
“They are a great team of owner. Aquis, Mr Fong, put a lot into racing and there are a few other owners in this colt whose old man Redoute’s (Choice) passed away so hopefully this is the colt to fill the void.
“He’s a very relaxed customer and I think he still has a lot of improvement in him. He’ll take a lot from that today he actually pricked his ears and started to work out what it’s all about.
“He is a lovely physical and has a very bright future. He’s a natural with a beautiful temperament so he ticks all the boxes so it’s pretty exciting.
“He might need a bit more money (to make the Golden Slipper) and a bit more experience.”
Prague a $1.6 million yearling
A first-up winner at Canterbury on January 17, Prague becomes the 171st stakes-winner for the deceased Redoute’s Choice.
Bred by G S A Bloodstock, Prague was purchased by Phoenix Thoroughbreds and Aquis Farms for $1,600,000 out of the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft at the 2019 Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
A half-brother to dual Group 1 winner and young Widden Stud stallion Stratum Star, Prague is the sixth foal of the lightly race Pins mare Purely Spectacular who was purchased by Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock for $300,000 on behalf of Jonathan Munz at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Also the dam of the multiple stakes-placed winner Serenade (Star Witness), Purely Spectacular is a sister to the Group 1 ARC Diamond Stakes runner-up Raid and is a great granddaughter of the champion Emancipation.
Purely Spectacular slipped in two seasons following Prague and was covered by Snitzel last spring.
