OTI Racing’s import Athabascan (FR) made it back-to-back stakes wins when capturing Saturday’s Group III James Squire Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) at Rosehill.
Ridden by Tom Sherry for John O’Shea, the 5-year-old son of Almanzor (FR) finished resolutely to defeat the Sea The Star gelding Al Aabir (IRE) by a short neck with another son of Sea The Stars, Desert Icon (FR), the same distance back in third.
Coming off a win in the $200,000 Listed CTC Cup (2400m) at Randwick, Athabascan (FR) advances his record to three wins, two seconds, and four thirds from 18 starts with earnings of $408,427.
“Gelding him has really helped him, as has a little bit of time,” O’Shea said.
“But he’s a real good stayer, and I’ve always felt he was a nice horse with a future and he’s starting to repay us.
“He’ll go to the Bart Cummings (Stakes); we want a ticket into the big one (Melbourne Cup). He’s a young stayer at the top of his game and will take the power of beating in a couple of weeks.
“He’ll relish that. You saw him there today; he never touched the bridle, and he’s got a great turn of speed. He’s got 51 (kgs) I think in the Cup; we’ve just got to get him in there.”
A half-brother to Group 1 ATC Tancred Stakes winner Arapaho (Lope de Vega), Athabascan (FR) sports the silks of OTI Racing.
Athabascan (FR) was Listed-placed three times in France for Andre Fabre.
In addition to Athabascan (FR) and Arapaho, the stakes-winning Dansil mare Azabara produced the Listed Saint-Cloud Prix Dahlia winner Alula Borealis (Kendargent).
Athabascan (FR) is one of ten stakes-winner for Cambridge Stud shuttler Almanzor (FR), a 3-time Group 1 winning son of Wootton Bassett (GB).
