Late bloomer Jethro Tull sparked another family celebration when he doubled his winning tally at Te Rapa.
He is trained by Brent Gillovic, who bred and races him with son Kurtis and their patience was further rewarded with a game front-running victory over 1200 metres, his second on the Hamilton course.
“He’s had a lot of niggling issues and growing pains and finally, in his last three starts, he’s done what we always thought he could,” said Highview principal Gillovic.
The five-year-old had posted consecutive placings ahead of Saturday’s success in the hands of Vinnie Colgan.
“We were pretty confident going into it, he had raced in better fields at his previous two starts,” Gillovic said.
“He just loves it wet and can run times through bad ground, we made a gear change with a tongue tie and that’s made a world of difference as well.”
Jethro Tull is a son of resident Highview stallion Wrote and the Lonhro mare Flute, a half-sister to multiple Hong Kong stakes winner and Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) placegetter Ain’t Here.
“Kurtis and I bought her at the Magic Millions, we hadn’t set out to buy her, but she was a grouse mare that went for $14,000 and not a bad pedigree,” Gillovic said.
“We’ve got a brother to Jethro who’s just turned two and is a different style of horse, he’s had a prep and having a rest before we bring him back in.”
Their sire Wrote’s flagship performers to date have been Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Pulchritudinous, multiple Australian Group winner Wrote To Arataki and Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) winner and Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) runner-up Best Seller.
The Group One-winning son of High Chaparral, who has also made his mark in Hong Kong with eight winners from 11 representatives, is again likely to be well supported.
“He’ll probably cover a 100, but it is a bit quieter than last year with the others,” Gillovic said.
“Mr Mozart only has to look at them and they get in foal, last year he covered 89 and I’m picking he’ll get his numbers again.”
Also standing at Highview is Proisir’s brother Divine Prophet and Santos, sire of Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) winner Ulanova.
Divine Prophet finished 23rd on last season’s Australian sires’ list in terms of wins with 90 from the last number (175) or runners with three at stakes level.
See You In Heaven won the Gr.3 Behemoth Stakes (1200m), Fortunate Kiss the Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) and Generosity the Listed Gwynne Classic (1400m).
The Yulong-owned See You In Heaven has since relocated from South Australia to Matt Lauries’s Victorian stable while Generosity has moved from Perth to champion trainer Chris Waller.
Highview will offer Divine Prophet’s first New Zealand conceived crop at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale in January.
“He’s a good-looking horse and we’ve got some beautiful yearlings here,” Gillovic said. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk.
