The John O’Shea and Tom Charlton stable have had a super season and underpinning their success has been a string of talented Kiwi breds and they include an interesting debut winner at Wyong on Thursday by Cambridge Stud’s first season sire Hello Youmzain (Fr).
Azarax has had a good grounding at the trials and had no trouble coping with 1300m first up to score a strong three-quarter length win for Dylan Gibbons.
A $190,000 Karaka Book 1 purchase for Laurel Oak Bloodstock / John O'Shea Racing / James Bester Bloodstock from the Curraghmore draft, Azarax has a pedigree filled with classic New Zealand blood.
He is the second winner from winning Tavistock mare Sunny Rose, a full sister to Group I ATC Australian Derby winner Tavago from the Tricia Ann branch of the family of the famed My Tricia family that has produced two Australian Horse of the Year winners in Lonhro and Lankan Rupee.
Whatever Azarax has shown so far is likely to be the tip of the iceberg.
Azarax is the eighth first crop Southern Hemisphere winner for Hello Youmzain (FR), who shuttles to Cambridge Stud in New Zealand and has sired two stakes-winners in NZ so far in Lucy in the Sky and Platinum Diamond.
He stands at a fee of $30,000 this spring.
