The Listed Dragon Stakes (5f) at Sandown in the UK overnight for two year-olds had an interesting winner that made big money at the Goffs UK Breeze Up Sale this year selling for £380,000 and also credited Australian sire Hallowed Crown with his first stakes-winner as a broodmare sire.
Mehmas colt Aesterius opened his career with a debut win at Bath in May before finishing fifth at Royal Ascot in the Group II Norfolk Stakes.
Trained by Archie Watson and ridden by James Doyle, Aesterius was sent out favourite and justified the support racing clear for a length and a quarter win in the Wathnan Racing colours.
“He ran a huge race at Ascot and like a lot of the races there it was affected by the draw,” said Watson.
“With half an eye on Goodwood this was the obvious race to come to in the meantime. He’s sharpened up and James was very happy. We would have preferred something better to lead us deeper into the race, James was just trying to keep a hold of him so he wasn’t landing in front three furlongs out.
“The Goodwood Festival is very important for these owners and we will most likely be aiming at the Richmond Stakes or the Molecomb Stakes, depending on what we think trip-wise.”
Aesterius has been a regular through the sale ring making 52,000 guineas as a foal and then 60,000 guineas as a yearling at Tattersalls October Book 2 and finally his big breeze up sale when bought for £380,000 by Blandford Bloodstock for Wathnan Racing.
The 30th stakes-winner for young Acclamation sire Mehmas, Aesterius is the first winner for Jane Doe, an unraced half-sister by Hallowed Crown to Group III winner Tawhid from Group III winner Snowdrops.
Hallowed Crown won both the Group I ATC Golden Rose and Randwick Guineas and started his stud career for Darley which included shuttling to the UK for his first two seasons.
He now stands at Twin Hills Stud at a fee of $8,800 and has sired two Group II winners this year in Kintyre and Vilana.
