The Clayton Douglas-trained Gallant Prince kept the ball rolling for Trapeze Artist in a competitive 1400m maiden for 3yos at Pakenham on Thursday, with connections of the first three across the line taking plenty of encouragement.
The runner-up in two of his four starts, Gallant Prince, was highly regarded enough by the stable to contest the Listed Exford Plate at Flemington in September, where he pulled up lame.
With Beau Mertens in the saddle, Gallant Prince took up the running from an outside gate. Kicking clear at the 250m, the strapping son of Trapeze Artist wandered about in the closing stages as the So You Think debutant Sweet Jasmine came from the tail of the field with a barnstorming finish. Despite being on one rein down the straight, Sweet Jasmine closed to three-quarters of a length with another debutant, the Dundeel gelding Stardealt, doing his best work at the finish, a further one and three-quarter lengths back in third.
“He is a lovely colt. I didn’t think he would still be a maiden, but he has run in some nice races, so it was good to get the job done today,” Douglas said.
“I’m not sure how far we will go with him. I think he will be a really nice Autumn horse, with a little cut in the ground.
“He is a big-actioned, beautiful type of horse. I have a lot of time for him, and I think he will get out over ground.”
A $135,000 purchase for Clayton Douglas Racing from the Widden Stud draft at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Gallant Prince is the tenth winner for the Zabeel mare Southern Venture.
Bert Vieira bought Southern Venture at the 2013 National Broodmare Sale for $145,000.
A half-sister to 4-time Group 1 winner Metal Bender, Southern Venture is the dam of the 4-time winning Foxwedge mare How Sweet It Is, the dam of the Group III 2022 ATC San Domenico Stakes winner Sweet Ride (Deep Field), the runner-up in the Group II Roman Consul Stakes, group III Red anchor stakes, Group III Pago Pago Stakes, and third in the Group II Run To Rose.
Southern Venture has a yearling brother to Gallant Prince but slipped to Trapeze Artist last spring.
