The unstoppable Jye McNeil made it four wins in a row when guiding the three-year-old Snitzel colt Generation to victory in Saturday’s Group III Ive Print Manfred Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
Making his first start since winning the Group III Red Anchor Stakes at Moonee Valley last October, Generation hit the line strongly in defeating Godolphin’s Exceed And Excel colt Zethus by one and a quarter lengths with the Teofilo (IRE) colt Linas Legend a further three-quarter of a length back in third.
Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Generation advances his record to four wins and two thirds from six starts with earnings of $370,475.
“He’s a colt, and there’s a bit of improvement there,” Eustice said.
“Jye got it spot on. He let him travel deep into the straight, and when he asked him to quicken, he quickened well.
“He’s building a good record now and he’s done very little wrong.
Eustice said it was unlikely Generation would meet up with his stablemate Marabi in the Oakleigh Plate.
“We probably won’t do that. Not just because of her, we just don’t think he’s an 1100 metre horse,” he said.
He’s not quite sharp enough for that.
“The Zeditave is back here, which we’d have to consider, and the Newmarket warrants consideration as well, down in the weights. A bit later on something like the William Reid but he’d have to win another race before going to races like that.”
It is a timely run of success for McNeil who is due to get married nest week.
“Today is definitely going to help pay for the wedding,” McNeil said. “His performance was great. He landed in a terrific position straight from the barriers, put his nose down and got into a good rhythm.”
A $575,000 purchase by Ciaron Maher Racing/Dermot Farrington Bloodstock from the Newgate Farm draft at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Generation is the second and final foal of Fontiton.
A daughter of Turffontein, Fontiton was purchased by Matchem Racing for $110,000 from the Blue Gum Farm draft at the 2014 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Fontiton returned $435,750 on the track with three wins from six starts before SF Bloodstock shelled out $1.1million for her at the 2016 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Fontiton’s first foal Pinkham won at Seymour before placing in the Group III Kevin Hayes Stakes at Caufield last February. A daughter of Written Tycoon, Pinkham was purchased by Mick Price Racing/Suman Hedge Bloodstock for $200,000 out of the Newgate Farm draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Sadly, Pinkham died in June last year, while Fontiton predeceased her by two years.
