When the China Horse Club/ Newgate and partners stallion syndicate elected to name an expensive Snitzel colt Beadman there would have been high hopes he could honour the name and it looks like a good decision was made.
Trained by Peter Snowden, Beadman, named after champion Australian jockey Darren Beadman, has show ability for the get go.
He showed talent in two barrier trials in March and April before a debut second at Kembla and a win at Newcastle, but jumped right out of the ground at the Gold Coast on Saturday when stepping up in class for the $200,000 Group III Ken Russell Memorial Classic (1200m).
Ridden by James McDonald, Beadman relished the heavy track and romped home to win as he pleased beating previously unbeaten Hellbent filly Sunrays by a widening eight lengths with Group I winner Startante’s little brother Fabulantes in third place.
It was the first ride on Beadman for James McDonald and he was impressed with good looking chestnut.
"He's always promised a lot and he's a beautiful type. So he's definitely got a bright future. That was the definition of sustained speed,” said McDonald.
"I couldn't hear them coming, which was a bit of a worry because I didn't want one of them to blouse him. I hadn't expected him to be that far in front of them, so I was able to be pretty soft on him late.
“He's a big colt and he's still learning his craft, so he won't take any harm from that and I'm sure he'll win another race up here."
Peter Snowden will be looking for bigger fish for Beadman to fry with the $1million Group II BRC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) on May 31 is a likely target.
"The only question was whether he could handle that sort of track. He handled it pretty well at Newcastle but this one was a bit different. He kept skipping along on it, and for James to let him stride before the corner, I knew they must be going pretty well,” he said.
“The progression he's made just this last month is pretty incredible.
"He's clearly very talented, and he doesn't know how good he is. He doesn't overdo it in his trackwork, he's a very laid-back customer. He did give me the feeling that we could come up here and win a decent race with him, but he's certainly surprised me today with that performance.
"We'll soak up the win first, but I don't think seven furlongs will be any problem for him so we'll definitely be looking towards the Sires with him."
A $900,000 Magic Millions purchase from Arrowfield for China Horse Club/Newgate/Go Bloodstock/Trilogy, Beadman has had two wins from three starts earning nearly $150,000 in prizemoney
Bred by Arrowfield in partnership with Hermitage Thoroughbreds, Beadman is the best of three winners from French stakes-winner Iffranesia (Fr), who is by influential sire Iffraaj.
Iffranesia had no yearling at the sales this year, but had a colt by Snitzel last year and is now on foal to Dundeel.
Beadman is the 159th stakes-winner for Arrowfield’s champion sire Snitzel, who is the leading sire of 2YO’s in Australia this season.
