The omen tip Pandemic opened his stakes account in Saturday’s $140,000 Listed Neds Christmas Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
Ridden by Damien Oliver for trainer James Cummings, the son of Sepoy defeated Brave Song (Your Song) by one and three-quarter lengths with William Thomas (Nicconi) a half-head back in third.
It was the first stakes win for the Godolphin homebred who advances his record to five wins and a third from 11 starts with earnings of $369,790.
“He’s a nice promising horse getting in on the minimum weight. James Cummings and the Godolphin team have got a good knack of placing these horses well,” Oliver told racing.com.
“He is a nice up-and-coming horse. He’s got a good rating so he’ll be well-placed in those races before the really good ones come back.”
Pandemic is a half-brother to the Group 1 MRC Blue Diamond Stakes winner and Group 1 ATC Golden Slipper runner-up Earthquake and the Listed winner Palomares.
The 4yo son of Sepoy is one of seven winners from as many to race out of the Marauding mare Cataclysm, a half-sister to the multiple Group II winner El Cambio dual Listed winner Complicate.
Cataclysm died in May. She has a 2yo colt by Kermadec named Huon and a yearling colt by Epaulette.
Pandemic becomes the 21st stakes-winner worldwide for the champion Sepoy who stands at Darley Stud, Northside at a fee of $7.700.
