After placing in three of his six starts, the Grunt gelding Dragoon broke his maiden over 1600m at Moonee Valley on Friday.
Ridden by Daniel Moor for Greg Eurell, Dragoon sat on the speed set by the royally bred favourite Limburg (Justify), and the pair settled down to a stirring dual. Dragoon defeated Limburg by a head with the Pierro gelding Ceremonious close-up in third in an all-3-year-old finish.
“He deserved that; he has been ultra-consistent,” Greg Eurell said.
“We are getting to the end of the prep. One of the owners asked if there were any runs left in him. I said that I didn’t think so; this may be his last, so thankfully, he got the job done.
“I think he will improve after a spell as he is quite progressive, and I love his consistency over a long preparation.
“He has a strong constitution, and as a 4-year-old, he will be a nice horse.”
A $150,000 purchase for Greg Eurell / All Winners / Golden River from the Golden Grove draft at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Dragoon is the third winner from four to race for the Darley-bred Commands mare Prose.
A half-sister to Group 1 ATC Australian Oaks heroine Colette and Listed MRC Chairman's Stakes winner Metastasio, Prose died in 2022, and Dragoon is her final foal.
Bred by Thoroughbred Partners,Dragoon is the 14th winner of the season for Yulong Stud’s Grunt, a top five second-season stallion riding high through the deeds of Veight and Miraval Rose.
