The Listed MRC Debutant Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on Wednesday produced a quinella for first season sires with Pierata colt Coleman saluting as favourite over Too Darn Hot (GB) filly Arabian Summer with Capitalist colt Aardvark a distant third some four lengths back.
Trained by Matt Laurie and ridden by Ben Melham, Coleman had apparently shown good ability in a jump out and ran up to expectation when travelling just behind the leaders before accelerating past the filly to score an easy length and a half win.
“He’s a lovely horse and there was a lot of expectation about him today not only from the market, but certainly from our stable and I’m just glad it’s come off,” said Matt Laurie.
“He’s green as you would expect, but he delivered when he was placed under pressure by Ben and he’s only going to get better.”
Ben Melham did well to steady Coleman, when he got a touch revved up in the run after jumping, but was full of praise for the colt and his prospects for the future.
Coleman was bred and sold by Rhys and Chloe Smith of Kulani Park and made $550,000 at Magic Millions when snapped up by Matt Laurie Racing/Justin Bahen. He is a half-brother to stakes-winner Liwa being the third winner from Sboog, a placed half-sister by Redoute’s Choice to Group II winner Rothesay and stakes-winner Sensei.
Bred by Emirates Park, Sboog is a grand-daughter of triple Group I winner Canny Lass so comes from the family of Golden Slipper winners Canny Lad and Sepoy and when offered at the 2011 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale by Emirates Park she sold for $1million.
She was a savvy purchase for Kulani Park, plucked out of the 2021 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $100,000 when in foal to Pierata with Coleman the result of the mating. Sboog has a yearling filly by Flying Artie, but no foal this spring after missing to So You Think.
Coleman is the first winner and first stakes-winner for Pierro’s Group I winning sprinter Pierata, who started his stud career with Aquis before relocating to Yulong earlier this year where he is sure to cover an exceptional book of mares this spring.
Pierata stands at a fee of $44,000.
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