A son of the hottest first-season sire from an unstoppable stable, the 2-year-old colt Oodnadatta made a winning debut in the Bet365 Maiden Plate (1200m) at Geelong on Thursday.
Ridden by Beau Mertens for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, Oodnadatta quickly mustered speed shortly after jumping to sit outside the leader Dreamwriter. Levelling up on straightening, the son of Too Darn Hot (GB) was strong to the line a length ahead of the dead-heaters, the Alabama Express debutant Treasurethe Moment and the Written By filly Dreamwriter.
It was no shock for the stable as Oodnadatta was sent off an odds-on favourite at his public unveiling.
Bred by the great South Australian stalwarts, The Toorak Thoroughbred Breeding Trust, Oodnadatta was a $195,000 buy for Dynamic Syndications/Dean Watt Bloodstock/Mick Price Racing & Breeding from the Mill Park Stud draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
He is the second winner from as many foals for the 4-time winning Medaglia D'Oro (USA) mare La La Luchie, a sister to Group III-placed battle is Brewing and a half-sister to Group 1 ATC Champagne Stakes winner Go Indy Go and Group III SAJC DC McKay Stakes winner Essay Raider.
This is the family of Caulfield Cup heroine Southern Speed, the dam of one of this season's top Japanese 3-year-olds, Cosmo Kuranda.
Sue Murphy shelled out $50,000 for a Frosted half-brother to Oodnadatta at the 2024 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.
After foaling a St Mark's Basilica (FR) colt last spring, La La Luchie was covered by Justify (USA).
Oodnadatta is the 11th first-crop winner in Australia for Darley Stud's Too Darn Hot (GB), who is on track to earn the first-season sire title for earnings and individual winners.
The son of Dubawi is the second leading two-year-old sire, behind Written Tycoon, on earnings while he trails Written Tycoon and Snitzel by one for winners.
