Not much has gone right for the royally-bred Prost since capturing the Group III ATC Canonbury Stakes last season. Still, the son of Snitzel turned it around in Saturday’s $1,000,000 Group II Catanach's Jewellers Callander-Presnell (1600m) at Randwick.
Ridden by Adam Hyeronimus for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Prost staved off the fast finish of the luckless Justify (USA) colt Just Party by a short-half-head.
The I Am Invincible colt Anode was two and a quarter lengths back in third.
“It’s rewarding for him this preparation because there have been a few frustrating runs to date. So he’s back on track now,” a relieved Adrian Bott said.
“That may be enough for him this preparation. He’s a horse that will keep maturing; we’ll see more from him in the autumn, no doubt. But it’s good to see him open up a few more options as well, getting out in trip.
“We were trying to do that as a two-year-old. We always had him down as a Champagne (Stakes) horse and we just had to pull the pin on that preparation at that point in time. Good to see him run it out (1600m) strongly today.
“I thought he was always going to hold that horse. He got to him relatively early there but he always seemed to be holding him and doing enough, and that’s sort of the type of horse he is.
“Good to see him do it today. I thought he ran it out strongly and it certainly opens up a few more options for him going forward. He was a very talented two-year-old and it’s good to see him put that on his record at three because he’s a talented three-year-old as well. And I’m sure we’ll see more from him in the autumn.”
A $650,000 buy for Kia Ora Stud Pty Ltd/TFI /Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing from the Baramul Stud draft the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, the son of Snitzel is a three-quarter brother to Golden Slipper winner Shinzo and Godolphin’s Magic Millions 2yo Classic winner Exhilarates.
Bred by Gerry Harvey, Prost is the third winner from four to race for the Northern Meteor mare Samarmeteors, half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Samaready (More Than Ready), the dam of Shinzo (Snitzel) and Exhilarates (Snitzel) and to the Group II Karrakatta Plate winner Night War (General Nediym).
TFI had the final say at $325,000 for Westbury Stud’s Toronado (IRE) colt from Samarmeteors at the Magic Millions. He has been named Sam The Rocket and is in training with Michael Freedman.
Samarmeteors has a yearling colt by Extreme Choice.
