Yarraman Park’s promising young sire Hellbent added a fifth winner to his tally at rain soaked Canterbury on Thursday when talented gelding Hell I Am cast off maiden status with a determined length victory.
Trained by John O’Shea for Champion Thoroughbreds, Hell I Am showed plenty of early talent over the summer when finishing fifth in the Magic Millions Wyong Classic on debut and then fourth in the Aquis Gold Nugget at the Gold Coast.
He didn’t quite get into the Magic Millions 2YO Classic so returned to Sydney and was second at Canterbury in February before heading out for a spell.
Tuned up for his return with a recent impressive trial win, Hell I Am was given a good ride by Hugh Bowman tracking the leader and made light of the heavy 10 track to forge clear and win the the 1100m maiden by a length as favourite.
“He’s made a lot of improvement since last time, particularly mentally as he was a bit of a handful,” said Hugh Bowman.
“He was much better in the yard today and did everything right in the race, he just got a little bit lost when he got to the front, but then he focused and got to the line well.”
A $150,000 Magic Millions purchase for Champion Thoroughbreds from the Edinglassie Thoroughbreds draft, Hell I Am is the first winner for stakes-placed Forest Circle (USA), who comes from the family of US Group I winner Carriage Trail.
Forest Circle was one of 148 mares covered last spring by Hellbent, who remains at a fee of $22,000.
Hell I Am is the fifth winner for Hellbent, who has three stakes horses to his credit and four of his winners are metro winners, so his runners are making their mark in quality company.
