There was a short priced favourite in the 1500m maiden at Bendigo on Wednesday in Shamus Award filly Roll on High, but she will have to wait for another day to break the ice having been outgunned at the finish by Pierro first starter Aztec State.
Trained by Ben, Will and JD Hayes, Aztec State carries the colours of his breeder Yulong after passing in shy of a modest $80,000 reserve at Magic Millions and the decision to keep him may well be a good one.
Aztec State was strong right through the line for Mick Dee to hold the favourite off and win by a head in a thoroughly pleasing performance. He had to do work early to get across and take a position and then had to take the field up to a tearaway leader, so was entitled to be beaten and yet he still won!
Aztec State is the first winner for Arizona Belle (IRE), an unraced half-sister by Redoute’s Choice to Melbourne Cup and Australian Cup winner Fiorente, which probably goes a fair to explaining the obvious stamina Aztec State showed at his first race start.
Yulong purchased Arizona Belle for $375,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale from the Yarraman Park draft and she has ayearling filly for them by Lucky Vega (IRE) and a colt foal by the same sire this spring.
Pierro is enjoying a good run as we work into spring with new stakes-winner Kalino, Group I contender Osipenko working into form and the promising filly Mollyknickers an acceptor for the Group I ATC Flight Stakes in Sydney on Saturday.
