The 6-year-old Turffontein gelding First Accused went one better than his second to The Inevitable twelve months ago to open his stakes account in Wednesday nights Listed Jackson Security Newmarket Hcp at Launceston.
A second win in the race for apprentice Codi Jordan, First Accused was having just his second start for trainer Glenn Stevenson after transferring from Scott Brunton.
Settled just off the pace, First Accused swept three and four wide around the home turn to deny a gallant Jaja Chaboogie (Your Song) by three-quarters of a length, with Jaguar Stone (Spieth) a neck back in third.
A $16,000 purchase for Andrew Scanlon from the Motree Thoroughbreds draft at the 2019 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale, First Accused advances his record to eight wins, five seconds, and nine thirds from 26 starts with earnings of $448,928.
First Accused beat just two home at Hobart at his first start for Glenn Stevenson, who was winning Newmarket for the third time.
“We left Hobart scratching our heads, and the team put a lot of work into changing things around,” he said.
“He wouldn’t have blown a candle out. I don’t think he really had a go. We did nothing different, but we knew the ability was there and just hoped he would find his best form.”
It completed a memorable month, for now, Tasmanian-based stallion Turffontein, whose son Coal Crusher blitzed the opposition in the $1million The Hunter at Newcastle on November 18.
First Accused is the best of four winners from eight to race for the stakes-placed Royal Academy (USA) mare Keep On Talking, who was a $15,000 purchase for Motree Thoroughbreds from the 2014 Patinack Dispersal.
Keep On Talking (USA) has a yearling brother to First Accused.
The son of a veteran stallion and mare, First Accused is the eighth stakes-winner for the dual Group 1 winner Turffontein, who stands at Mandy Gunn’s Motree Thoroughbreds for $4,000 after years of yeoman service to Blue Gum Farm.
