There will be few more impressive debuts this season than that produced by the hulking Not A Single Doubt colt Cafe Millenium in the Pierro Plate at Randwick.
Ridden by Tom Marquand for John O’Shea, Cafe Millenium was still last of the nine runners with 100m left to run. He unleashed a withering finish to defeat the talented Sepoy filly Remedies by one and a quarter lengths with a further half-neck to the Choisir filly Empress Of Wonder in third. The favourite Don Corleone was fourth after being the meat in the sandwich between Cafe Millenium and Empress Of Wonder when they jumped.
So impressive was the win, the son of Not A Single Doubt was elevated to the fourth line of betting for the Golden Slipper and favourite for the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes.
“We have always thought very highly of him, but as you can see, he is a work in progress,” John O’Shea said.
“He did not execute the first part of the race well. He did get chopped out coming out of the gates, and we thought he would be a little closer in the run, but we knew he had the capacity to do what he did in the final part of the race.
“He needs to learn his craft. He is a big horse, that’s why we were keen to bring him to Randwick.
“It’s great for Ron and Mr Leaver, they have a really nice colt.
“We trialled him in the spring, then put him away with the intention of coming here in the autumn.
“You would have to be impressed with what you saw there.”
A homebred for Ron Finemore and John Leaver’s Planette Thoroughbreds, Cafe Millenium is a three-quarter brother to Group II MVRC Moonee Valley Classic winner and Group 1 Queen Of The Turf runner-up Gypsy Diamond who Yulong purchased for $1,300,000 at the 2018 Inglis Chairmans Sale.
It pays to follow Breednet at the barrier trials
From the final crop of 36 live foals by Not A Single Doubt, Cafe Millenium is the second foal and first winner for the High Chaparral (IRE) mare Veloce Forte. He is a brother Judgement Day who is still searching for his first win after finishing fourth at start six in a Kembla maiden on January 31.
Veloce Forte has a Pride of Dubai colt in the Newhaven Park consignment at the Adelaide Magic Millions Yearling Sale. (Lot 394).
Penfolds Bloodstock will celebrate the win as they purchased Veloce Forte for just $6,000 at the 2022 Inglis May (Late) Online Sale.
She was covered by Needs Further last spring.
