Peter Moody's problem child Merchant Prince disappointed the stable when well fancied at his first start at Caulfield and did plenty wrong at his second over 1200m at Pakenham on Thursday. Yet the high priced son of Written Tycoon found enough in the final furlong to upstage the highly touted first starters River Ribble (Ribchester) and Sir Bailey (Impending).
After wreaking havoc behind the barriers, Merchant Prince never looked the likely winner in the run.
He seemed to be struggling under hard riding by Blaike McDougall.
Australian Bloodstock' Ribchester colt, River Ribble, looked all over the winner at the 200m. When he began to weaken Merchant Prince and the favourite Sir Bailey began to rally.
A $525,000 purchase by Tony Fung Investments/Phoenix Thoroughbreds from the Vinery Stud draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Merchant Prince defeated River Ribble by a head, with a further three-quarter of a length back to Jameka's son Sir Bailey in third.
Peter Moody said Merchant Prince is proving a challenge.
"He is a colt with good ability, but he disappointed at Caulfield and did not apply himself at all," Moody said.
"Even with the blinkers on tonight, I doubt he is applying himself. He thinks it is a big game and has not got his mind on the job.
"He possesses good talent but no application whatsoever.
"We paid him up for the Blue Diamond this morning. He won that more like a 7-furlong – mile type of horse, but we might find that was a good quality two-year-old race.
"We have to outthink him like he is doing to us, and I suggest he might be doing some jumping and going over logs to mix it up and keep his mind on the job.
"If he doesn't apply himself and learns too many bad habits, that will be the end of his manhood."
Bred by Alan Green's Echo Beach Bloodstock and Brian Singer, Merchant Prince is the second foal and first winner for the Group II MRC Thousand Guineas Prelude and Listed VRC Cap d'Antibes Stakes winner Afleet Esprit.
It is a timely win for Vinery Stud, who offer a Press Statement half-sister to Merchant Prince at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. (lot 341).
Afleet Esprit has a Headwater filly foal and was covered by Trapeze Artist last spring.
