Made a Breednet One To Watch when breaking his maiden at Newcastle on September 5, Godolphin's Ataraxia proved a disappointing favourite at his next start at Warwick Farm but the son of Teofilo bounced back on Saturday to claim $125,000 Listed Schweppes Dulcify Quality (2000m) at Randwick.
Given the run of the race by Michael Walker, the James Cummings-trained colt was all out to hold off the fast-finishing Snitzel colt Dissolution by a half-neck with a short-neck back to the favoured Fastnet Rock colt Sambo in third. (photo Steve Hart).
"He had a beautiful run, he was always going to get there, Walker said.
"Obviously, the blinkers, he can switch off a little bit. He was just taking his time, I pulled the stick into the left hand and got at him and he hit the line
Ataraxia is a half-brother to Godolphin's 2013 Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes winner Complacent who finished second to Polanski in the 2013 Victoria Derby and that's the possible target for Ataraxia this spring.
"He'll get out to a mile and a quarter, he's a half-brother to Complacent who was a pretty serious weight-for-age horse," Cummings said.
"He's a really strong colt on the 10-day back up here and was unlucky against the older horses
"The Dulcify looked the perfect race for him and we think he'll be an interesting runner in a race like the Norman Robinson and if he can keep rising he might even be a Derby horse for us."
The Group III Norman Robinson (2000m) (Ladbrokes Classic) at Caulfield on October 21 is run two weeks before the Group I Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington.
Complacent (Authorized) won almost $1 million in a career restricted by injury to 11 starts. The strikingly handsome son of Authorized stands at Mapperley Stud, NZ.
Ataraxia is the ninth winner as many foals to race from Quest For Fame mare Insouciance who is also the dam of stakes-placed Offhanded, Malaise and Careless.
A full-sister to Group I winner Dracula, Insouciance comes from a rich black type family featuring Group I stars Festal, Masked Party, Inspiration and Wandjina.
Insouciance has not had a live foal since Ataraxia. She was covered by Dawn Approach (IRE) last spring but missed.
Ataraxia becomes the 71st stakes winner for Galileo's dual Group I winner Teofilo (IRE).
Riding high in recent times as the sire of Group I Australian Cup winner Humidor and the Epsom Handicap favourite Happy Clapper, Teofilo returned to Darley Stud last year after a two-year absence.
He stands alongside his Group I Doncaster Mile winning son Kermadec at a fee of $44,000.
