The top lot at the 2024 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale when selling for 1.3million guineas, lightly raced Frankel stallion Sir Delius (GB) justified his price tag when winning the Group III BRC Chairman’s Quality (2000m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Sir Delius showed his class last year in Europe as a Group III winner in France that was also placed in G1 company and was last seen running eighth in the Group I Longchamp Arc de Triomphe behind Bluestocking.
Sir Delius had pleased connections in recent trials and had no trouble carrying 60kg to a first up win here in Australia with Tim Clark in the saddle. He scored by more than a length over Floating.
Sir Delius was purchased originally by MV Magnier from the Tattersalls December foal Sale in 2021 for MV Magnier and di his early racing for the Coolmore partners.
He was snapped up at the end of last year as a tried horse by De Burgh Equine / McKeever Bloodstock / Go Bloodstock and now runs for a big ownership group headed by Sir Owen Glenn in whose colours he runs.
“He’s a quality individual, his form showed that previously and you saw that in the yard today, so it’s good to see him put it all there together today,” said Adrian Bott.
“He's only going to keep improving off the back of that experience and 2000m is still well short of his best.
“You saw how strong he was through the line but I thought he showed a nice turn of foot there, some good acceleration and there's only up from here.
“He was always purchased as a Melbourne Cup prospect. He's got that quality about him. So everything that we do in this preparation now is going to be geared towards that. We may look at a race like the Q22 and see how that fits in with the spring.
“I've got to thank Sir Owen Glenn. He was looking for a Melbourne Cup prospect and we were able to partner with him as a major shareholder on the horse out of the Tattersall Sale .
“We had some owners in the stable looking for similar prospects. Sir Owen put together a nice partnership for some very loyal owners.”
Sir Delius is a sibling to Group III winner Nkosikazi and stakes-winner Juan Elcano and is the best of five winners from blue-blood Daylami mare Whatami, whose immediate family includes Champion US Turf mare Uni. Tracing back further it’s hugely influential family most notable for producing champion sire Invincible Spirit.
