It was a successful day for Yulong's exciting first-season stallions Alabama Express and Pierata, with Waiting For Time putting a space on his rivals in the Sportsbet Jockey Watch Maiden Plate at Pakenham, while Scoundrel relied on the stewards to break his maiden at Kembla Grange.
Despite being easy in betting, the Matt Laurie-trained Alabama Express gelding Waiting For Time won like an odd-on shot.
Ridden by Fred Kersley, Waiting For Time tracked the early speed before displaying an electric turn of foot to defeat the favourite Silver Hammer (Inference) by four and three-quarter lengths, with Suppose I Do (Supido) a half-length back in third.
A homebred for Yu Long Investments, Waiting For Time was coming off a close-up fifth on debut at Cranbourne on June 23.
Waiting For Time is the first named foal of the Written Tycoon mare World Awaits.
Purchased by Yulong for $225,000 at the 2018 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, World Awaits finished last at Moe at her only start. Her dam Excellent Pins (Exceed And Excell) is a half-sister to Group III How Now Stakes winner Detours.
World Awaits has a weanling brother to Waiting For Time and revisited Alabama Express last spring.
Waiting For Time is the 12th winner for Alabama Express, with nine in Australia, one in Hong Kong, and two in New Zealand, including the Listed stakes-winner Discretion Rules.
The Annabel Neasham-trained Pierata colt Scoundrel looked like he had to settle for his second minor placing before Chad Schofield successfully argued his case against Zac Lloyd on the 4-year-old Press Statement gelding Ilovenews.
It was good news for punters who backed the lone 2-year-old in the race to favouritism.
Scoundrel finished third on debut at Newcastle on June 29.
Bred by Willow Park Stud, Scoundrel was passed in short of his $140,000 reserve at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale before Darby Racing shelled out $160,000 to secure the Pierata colt from the O'Gorman Racing draft at the 2023 Inglis Ready2Race Sale.
He is the first foal of the Maduro mare Belfast Bella (FR), who placed at Chantilly before winning three in Australia.
From a stakes-laden European family, Belfast Bella (FR) is a half-sister to Group III Prix Pénélope winner Don't Hurry Me (Hurricane Run) and 3-time Listed stakes-winner Bernay (King's Best).
Cross Park Stud purchased Belfast Bella (FR) for $95,000 at the 2024 National Broodmare Sale and bought her Farnan colt for $100,000 when consigned by Sullivan Bloodstock to the 2024 National Weanling Sale.
Belfast Bella (FR) revisited Pierata last spring.
Scoundrel is the ninth winner for Pierata, his eighth in Australia, and one in New Zealand.
