The Extreme Choice colt Don Corleone put himself in Golden Slipper contention when overcoming a troubled run to make a winning career debut in the Petaluma Hcp (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Ridden by James McDonald for Peter and Paul Snowden, Don Corleone was never closer than three deep the trip from an outside barrier.
The Breednet Best On Breeding quickened impressively over the rise to defeat the $1,700,000 I Am Invincible filly Kundalini by three-quarters of a length with the $320,000 Invader colt Coincide three lengths back in third.
“He has always been a nice horse who has shown a fair bit at home,” Peter Snowden said.
“His trials have been OK, so I put the blinkers on to make a statement and make sure he is the horse I believe him to be.
“He is a very nice horse. There is plenty of him, and he is tough and has plenty going for him. He has got a great attitude and is very laid back.
“Sprinting is not his go, but he made a statement today that he knows what racing is about and delivered in spades.”
Bred by Gilgai Farm, Don Corleone was the third most expensive lot at the 2021 National Weanling Sale when knocked down to China Horse Club/Newgate Bloodstock for $650,000.
He is a half-brother to four winners, including The Drinks Cart (Unencumbered), who placed behind Rothfire in the Group 1 JJ Atkins Stakes.
Don Corleone's dam Snipzu, a daughter of the recently deceased Snippetson, won four and was second to Hussousa in the Listed Gimcrack Stakes and placed in the Group III BJ Mclachlan Stakes and Listed Calaway Gal Stakes.
Snipzu's dam Pilgrim is a half-sister to Arkady. A homebred for John Denoon, Arkady won the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill. That was the culmination of four consecutive wins, which began with a welter at Rosehill, then the Listed Underwood Cup, and Queanbeyan Cup.
Arkady proved his Ranvet win was no fluke when Octagonal edged him out in the Group 1 Mercedes Classic (Tancred Stakes).
Denoon won the Ranvet a decade previously with Arkady's sire Myocard.
Not served in 2020, Snipzu foaled a Written Tycoon filly on November 20.
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