Melbourne's premier race caller Matt Hill isn't prone to hyperbole so when he spoke the words “good horse” as Gringotts attacked the line to win at Sandown over 1400m on Wednesday, it rather reinforces the reputation the exciting 3YO son of Per Incanto has laid down in his four Australian starts for leading trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.
Bred by Nicci and Dirk Olberholster, Gringotts was an impressive trials performer from the Matamata yard of Simon and Katrina Alexander before his sale for big money to Australia where his ownership group are headed up by leviathan investors Ozzie Kheir and John O'Neill.
The second part of Per Incanto's Sandown double came in the form of the Trelawney bred mare Circle of Magic, who led all the way for a decisive win over 1300m.
Dual Australian Group 1 winner Roch ‘N’ Horse just missed making it a Melbourne trifecta for her sire when she lined up in the 1200m Group 1 William Reid stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night, however the 6YO daughter of Per Incanto was the gamest of third's behind the New Zealand mare Imperatriz, and in doing so she took her stake earnings past Aus$3million.
Meanwhile in domestic action on Saturday, Time Test’s progressive filly Maryweka scored back-to-back wins, her third success from nine career starts, with her success against fellow 3YO's over 1400m at Riccarton. Continuing the great week for her ownership group, the Galloping Wekas, the Les and Janine Wallace bred daughter of Time Test had to be good after racing three wide without cover for most of the race.
The farms focus the next fortnight centers on the Riverside sales complex in Western Sydney where the final major Australasian yearling sale of the season begins on 3 April. LA, who are selling at Sydney Easter for the first time since before Covid, have an outstanding draft of five lots including one of the best Per Incanto colts to come off the farm this season and quite possibly the best yearling the farm has taken to a yearling sale this year, the Too Darn Hot colt from the High Chaparral mare Alam Mo Na (pictured).
