In a race that kick-started the career of Montefilia, the even money favourite Tea Leaves opened his winning account in Friday’s Beaumont Handicap (1400m) at Newcastle.
It did not come easy. With Tim Clark in the saddle for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the son of Sebring needed all of the long Broadmeadow straight to defeat the Paul Perry-trained Choisir colt Cruel Summer by a half-head with the Criterion colt Last Not Least three lengths back in third.
Never a factor when making his debut at Canberra, Tea Leaves was coming off a luckless second over 1300m at Wyong on February 25
Future Group 1 winner Montefilia was a $51 chance when she won this at her career debut, before finishing fourth in the Listed Baillieu Handicap at Rosehill and that is the race earmarked for Tea Leaves according to stable representative Neil Paine.
“It was a brilliant finish. It just goes to show his fighting qualities,” Paine said.
“He will only get better as he gets further.
“Speaking to Gai and Adrian his ultimate aim is the (Group 1) Champagne Stakes but he will probably go to the Baillieu after this.
“They will get him home and see how he pulls up, but they are his aims.
“He has improved at every start, is an exciting colt with nice owners so exciting times.”
Tea Leaves was purchased by his trainers for $325,000 out of the Segenhoe Stud draft at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Bred by Fairway Thoroughbreds, the son of Sebring carries the colours of Sir Owen Glenn’s Go Bloodstock who races him with a group that includes his breeder John Camilleri.
Tea Leaves is the second foal and first winner for the High Chaparral mare Pattini, who was sent to the UK in 2019 to visit Kingman. She is now back at Segenhoe with a Kingman filly foal and is back in foal to him again to Southern Hemisphere time.
A first-up winner over 1309m at Seymour in a career restricted to five starts, Pattini is a three-quarter sister to the stakes-placed Newlands and a half-sister to Golden Slipper winner Vancouver, Group 1 SAJC Robert Sangster Stakes winner Juste Momente and stakes-winner Captain Coltish.
