Gilgai Farm have bred two of Australia’s best two-year-olds this season and promising Ole Kirk youngster Aerodrome looks likely to be given a chance to be their third season stakes winner after making it two wins from two starts at Hawkesbury on Saturday.
Gilgai are the breeders of this season’s Champion two-year-old contender Nepotism, winner of the Group I Champagne Stakes, along with Magic Millions Classic winning filly O’ Ole and Michael Freedman’s stable rep Sophie Johnson suggested Aerodrome would likely now be dispatched to Brisbane for bigger targets after this victory.
Pushed on from the barriers by Regan Bayliss to track the leader, the gelding sustained a determined finish in the heavy conditions without ever looking particularly comfortable in the going.
At the finish he’d prevailed over debutant Hereward (Saxon Warrior) by three-quarters of a length with Zebra Finch (Exceed And Excel) third.
“He went a lot straighter today and also showed that good will to win like he did first up,” said Bayliss.
“He's a lovely horse and he's just going to keep improving and I think the more runs we get into him and the more he steps up in trip, he's going to keep getting better and better and not sure if the heavy ground was to his liking today, being such a big striding horse, but he found a way to get the job done today and he's got a bright future.”
Aerodrome was a $190,000 purchase for Nine9park from Gilgai Farm at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
He’s the first foal of Epaulette mare She Shao Fly, a winner of the Group III South Australian Sires Produce Stakes.
She Shao Fly’s second foal, a filly, made $70,000 at this year’s Inglis Premier Sale while she foaled a filly to Ole Kirk again last season and was served by Extreme Choice.
Ole Kirk is having a terrific first season with 10 winners, including four stakes winners which sees him on top of the both the First Season by Winners and Earnings tables.
He is set to stand the 2025 at Vinery Stud at a fee of $99,000.
