The 3-year-old Ocean Park gelding Fabrice earned his purchase price back when making a winning debut in the Sportsbet Fast Form Maiden Plate (1200m) at Sandown-Lakeside on Wednesday.
Ridden by John Allen for Ciaron Maher, Fabrice enjoyed a cosy run behind the leader Fall Of Rome. Finding a seam between runners at an opportune time at the 300m, Fabrice hit the line strongly to defeat the 4-year-old Deep Field gelding Met With Luck by a half-length with the 3-year-old Per Incanto gelding Vendemmia a length back in third.
Fabrice was a $30,000 buy for Ciaron Maher Racing/Kawa Park from the Waikato Stud draft at the 2022 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale.
Stable representative Jack Turnbull said the son of Ocean Park had been a slow developer.
"The more training he's had, the sharper and quicker he's got. He's a big raw gelding not knowing his trade," Turnbull said.
"He has trialled up well lately, and he keeps improving. He still has scope for improvement, so we won't jump him up in distance too soon."
Fabrice is the third foal and first winner for the winning O'Reilly mare Hokey Pokey whose granddam Ugachaka (Danasinga) won the Group II VRC Edward Manifold Stakes and Group II STC Queen of the Turf Stakes.
Waikato Stud sold Hokey Pokey's Super Seth weanling filly for $12,000 at the 2023 National Weanling & Broodmare Sale.
