Stunning Frankel colt Gates made the first instalment on his $950,000 purchase price when opening his winning account in the Ladbrokes Bet Ticker Maiden Plate (1500m) at Sandown-Hillside on Wednesday.
Ridden by Luke Nolen for Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman, Gates looked keen to go quicker when midfield in the middle stages. Eased out three and four wide on the turn, Gates lengthened impressively to hold the fast-finishing Dundeel gelding Binottoby three-quarters of a length with Star Witness colt Life Sentence a head back in third.
It was the third start for Gates at his 3-year-old bow.
The son of Frankel was a $950,000 purchase for Dalziel Bloodstock/Moody Racing from the Rosemont Stud draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
“Wylie (Dalziel) and myself liked this horse, and we probably put our manhood on the line if we didn’t get a result,” Peter Moody said.
“He’s always indicated he would be a nice staying horse like his family suggested.
“I told Luke to build momentum and ride him like a nice staying type of horse. He hasn’t a lot of brilliance, but he can maintain a good gallop. You will probably see him in a 2000m race next time. Ridden the same way, he will stay all day. I think he will make a quality stayer.
“He has furnished and grown. We did not give him a long break because we were mindful that he is such a big horse and kept him an entire.
“He is a nice progressive horse. He may go to something like the Caulfield Classic, 2000m in a month and see if he can build off it.”
A three-quarter brother to Group 1 ATC Metropolian winner Mirage Dancer (Frankel), Gates is the fourth foal of the lightly raced Bellwether (GB) (Three Valleys), a 50,000gns purchase for Rosemont from the Juddmonte draft at the 2018 Tattersalls November Sale, carrying a New Bay filly.
A half-sister to the old marvel Ironclad, Bellwether (GB) is a daughter of the Grade 1 Hollywood Park Matriarch Stakes and Grade 1 Arlington Park Beverly D Stakes winner Heat Haze (Green Desert), a half-sister to Banks Hill, Cacique, Champs Elysees, and Intercontinental.
Ironclad’s trainer Will Clarken went to $300,000 to secure a So You Think half-brother to Gates from the Rosemont Stud draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Bellwether (GB) was given a season off after foaling a So You Think filly last spring.
