It only seemed fitting that the inaugural $500,000 Listed VRC Sunlight Classic (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday would be won by a colt bred and sold by Widden Stud, who produced the champion filly after whom the race is named.
Exciting Supido colt What You Need kept his unbeaten record intact when he made it three wins in as many starts with a dominant victory over a very competitive field of sprinting three year-olds.
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr trained colt was sent to the paddock after a facile debut win at Geelong last spring and returned with a brilliant win at Flemington on March 11.
Ridden by Ben Melham, he was sent out favourite today and raced accordingly chiming in with a powerful run to storm clear and win by a length over Godolphin’s Renosu with classy filly Benedetta in third place.
Ben Melham is forging a good association with the colt having ridden him in each of his three wins.
“He’s had his issues getting here, the Price team have done a good job, and he had that race in his keeping a long way out,” Melham said.
“I was just mindful of the steps ahead in his preparation and he won that race pretty well, but I never pulled the whip on him and he should pull up clean and improve off the back of that.”
Michael Kent Jr was glowing in his post race assessment of What You Need, who heads to Sydney next for the $1million Group II ATC Arrowfield Sprint in two weeks time.
A $180,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Widden Stud draft for his trainer, What You Need was bred by Widden in partnership and runs for a syndicate of stable clients with Widden Stud also retaining an interest.
With three wins from three starts, What You Need has won just over $400,000 in prizemoney and is the second stakes-winner for his young Widden Stud based sire Supido, who was very popular last spring covering 170 mares at a fee of $8,800.
He is a half-brother to Group III winner Runway Star and is the third winner from stakes-placed Commands mare Intuit, a daughter of Group I winner Wrap Around and half-sister to the dams of Champion 2YO Filly Fashions Afield and also this year’s Magic Millions 3YO Guineas winner Fashion Legend.
Intuit had a colt by Zousain last spring and was then covered by Portland Sky.
