An impressive career debut by the Kris Lees-trained Willinga Beast in the First Justify Yearlings Maiden (1100m) at Canterbury on Thursday to become the eighth two-year-old winner of the season for champion stallion Snitzel.
Ridden by Hugh Bowman, Willinga Beast trucked along in fourth pace as Sweet Baby Boom ran them along in front.
Peeled three-wide rounding the home turn, the daughter of Snitzel dashed clear halfway down the straight. She was strong to the line in defeating the Deep Field filly Deep Expectation by two and a quarter lengths with a head back to the Spirit Of Boom filly Sweet Baby Boom who held the challenge of the fast-finishing Ribchester Perpignan for third.
Willinga Beast was a $625,000 purchase by Willinga Park Operations Pty Ltd/Australian Bloodstock from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is the second winner from as many to race out of the imported Shamardal (USA) mare Time Check (USA).
Purchased by Badger’s Bloodstock for $300,000gns from the Godolphin draft at the 2017 Tattersalls July Sale, Time Check is a half-sister to this season’s Listed VRC Maribyrnong Trial Stakes runner-up Lascars and to the Darley blue hen Essaouira the dam of Alizee, Astern, Tassort and Mogador.
Time Check’s dam Alizes (Rory’s Jester) won the 2004 STC Magic Night Stakes, and her Group 1 winning dam La Braka is a daughter of the champion Triscay.
Ciaron Maher Bloodstock paid $380,000 for a brother to Willinga Beast at the Magic Millions in January.
Time Check has a weanling filly by The Autumn Son and was bred back to him last spring.
