Trial watchers have been eagerly awaiting the race day debut of expensive Deep Impact colt Profondo and he duly delivered on potential at Randwick on Wednesday with a determined head win that has seen his price cut to $9 for the Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes (2000m).
The $1.9 million top lot at the 2020 Magic Millions Yearling Sale where he was offered for sale by Arrowfield and bought by Galletta Construction Co Pty Ltd, Profondo is trained by Richard Litt, who put the polish on the Galletta owned dual Group I winner Castelvecchio.
Given time to mature and a good education at the trials, Profondo was ready to fire in the 1400m maiden and travelled smooothly back in the field for Robbie Dolan before running down well bred Redoute’s Choice filly Mokulua (from Dear Demi) to win by a head.
“We thought we presented him well and he showed that today,” said Richard Litt.
“I thought he hit the line well and he’ll take a lot of improvement out of that for sure, because 1400m first up is not easy for any horse, but he seemed to handle it well so it will be onwards and upwards.”
Robbie Dolan has ridden Profondo in all of his trials and predicts a bright future for the colt, who holds an entry for the Caulfield Guineas.
Bred and offered for sale by Arrowfield, Profondo is the first foal of Group III ATC Widden Stakes winner Honesty Prevails, a daughter of champion sire Redoute’s Choice.
Her second foal is a colt by Shalaa (IRE) that was bought by James Harron Bloodstock for $1,150,000 at Magic Millions this year
Honesty Prevails has a Dundeel colt to follow, but no foal this year after missing last spring to Written Tycoon.
Profondo was one of two Australian winners on Wednesday for the late Japanese champion sire Deep Impact with the Arrowfield bred and sold five year-old mare Shosha winning her second race at Doomben. Read about her here.
Deep Impact has made a big impression with his Australian runners siring 19 winners here from 34 runners highlighted by three Japanese bred Group I winners in Fierce Impact, Tosen Stardom and Real Impact.
Fierce Impact stands his first season this spring at Leneva Park at a fee of $16,500, while Tosen Stardom stands at Woodside Park at a fee of $7,700.
Coolmore stand the only other Group I winning son of Deep Impact in Australia this spring in Saxon Warrior, whose fee is $13,750.
