Better Than Ready, a perennial leader for individual 2-year-old winners, left it later than usual to put one on the board this season, although it may have been worth waiting for.
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Whiskey is by some way the most expensive yearling by the Lyndhurst Stud Farm resident.
After two impressive barrier trials, the decision to head north paid off when Ryan Maloney guided the striking dark bay colt to a length win over the stubborn Love Conqurors All filly Mishani Crown in the Racecourse Village Hcp (1200m) at Eagle Farm.
Whiskey arrived at Tony Gollan’s stable on Thursday and made an immediate impression.
“He is a very quiet young colt and does not turn a hair. He is more like a 4-year-old gelding than a 2-year-old colt,” Gollan revealed.
“The Snowdens are turning out a big 2-year-old team all over the country, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. This is their first and hopefully not the last one today.
“This race was short on noms, just four when noms came out, and they extended them. It is good QTIS money.
“He was not a cheap colt but a lovely, put-together young horse.
“It was a messy race down the side, but he handled it the best, and it was a good, strong win.
“He will head back to Peter and Paul in Sydney and will find the right race for him, and who knows, he might be back for the ($500,000) QTIS Jewel (at Doomben on March 16).
Bred by Yarramalong, Whiskey was a $530,000 buy for China Horse Club/Newgate/Go/Trilogy from the Yarramalong Park draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The son of Better Than Ready is a three-quarter brother to 4-time winner More Secrets (More Than Ready), who placed in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes and a half to the dual Group III winner Amangiri (All Too Hard).
How did this one slip through the net for $5,000?
Whiskey is the sixth winner from as many to race for the Fastnet Rock mare Secret Indulgence, a half-sister to Group 1 Victoria Derby winner Amalfi.
After missing to All Too Hard, Secret Indulgence was consigned to the 2018 National Broodmare Sale, where she sold for just $5,000. She has not missed since and takes her place among the great bargains of modern times.
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott/Kestrel Thoroughbreds went to $240,000 for a brother to Whiskey at the Gold Coast in January.
She revisited the Lyndhurst Stud Farm resident in October after foaling a Better Than Ready filly on October 1.
