From a clear last at the top of the straight to what seemed an unlikely first at the winning post, exciting Brutal colt Nepotism produced a scintillating performance to win the $1million Group I ATC Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Trained by Team Hawkes and ridden by Tyler Schiller, Nepotism won the Group III ATC Baillieu Stakes at his second start with connections electing to bypass the Group I ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes in favour of the Champagne with happy results.
Drawn out wide, Nepotism was eased back and settled at the tail of the field, but Tyler Schiller had plenty of confidence in the colt and had no hesitation taking him out around every other runner in search of a clear passage and Nepotism did the rest.
He accelerated all the way to the line to edge out honest Lucky Vega (IRE) filly Within the Law in a three way thriller with another filly by Trapeze Artist in Tupakara in third place.
“It’s very hard for any horse to do that.. come from last and come to the outside, especially a two-year-old having his first racing prep,” said Wayne Hawkes.
“There wouldn't be too many hard luck stories behind him for the run that he had. He's a special colt and he's out of that special family, isn't he? All Too hard, Black Caviar and Ole Kirk, all his dear relations, so Gilgai Farm have bred another one! “
The victory is one that means a great deal to the Hawkes team as they trained his sire Brutal to win the Group I ATC Doncaster Handicap in 2019 and have now prepared his first Group I winner as a sire.
“Brutal won a Doncaster at his seventh race start and he was the youngest and least raced horse to ever win a Doncaster,” Hawkes reflected.
“So he's the first G1 winner for Brutal and it’s like having a son out there.”
A $160,000 Inglis Premier purchase from Gilgai Farm for International Thoroughbred Solutions, Nepotism runs for an ownership group that includes some of the Black Caviar owners and his breeder Gilgai Farm, which comes as no surprise given this talented colt comes from the same Helsinge female family that produced Black Caviar.
Nepotism has the overall record of two wins and a placing from three starts with prizemoney in excess of $748,000.
He is the first stakes-winner among three winners from four foals to race from unraced Casino Prince mare Brigite, a full sister to Champion 3YO Colt All Too Hard and half-sister to world champion sprinter Black Caviar, as well as the dam of Champion 3YO Colt Ole Kirk.
It’s a hugely successful family that doesn’t just produce G1 winners… it produces champions and Team Hawkes know a bit about it having trained both All Too Hard and Ole Kirk.
Brigite has been a tricky breeder of late and has not had a foal since Nepotism.
Nepotism is the first Group I winner and second stakes-winner for Newgate Farm’s young O’Reilly stallion Brutal, who was a popular choice with breeders last spring covering 154 mares and is priced this year at $16,500.
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