Highlighted as a Breednet One To Watch off the back of his impressive debut win, the Michael Freedman trained 3yo Farnan gelding Ninja continued his winning form, heading to the city on Saturday to record consecutive race victories.
When you break your maiden by more than 11 lengths, surely you have above average ability, and while Saturday’s Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1300m) was a Benchmark 72 rated field, it looks a race where the form should be followed as we head into the spring carnival.
Racing in the silks of MyRacehorse, jockey Andrew Adkins jumped Ninja away well from the barriers where he went forward to eventually cross Crown The King (Time To Reign) to settle in the lead.
Racing quite a few horses off the rail, Ninja cornered in front as Crown The King pulled to his outside to commence his challenge.
While Ninja looked to have the race all sewn up, he did weaken late as last start debut winner Without Peer (Pierata) and Crown The King were making up ground quickly to just fail on the line.
Ninja held a narrow short half head margin over Without Peer with a short head back to the third placed Crown The King.
Noted working home late was $1.9m yearling purchase Fermoy (Zoustar), who raced as if he would appreciate further, and with a nomination to the WS Cox Plate in the Spring, connections must have a good opinion of the colt.
"While the margin wasn't great and we certainly wouldn't want it over, I thought there was a lot of merit in it and he's a horse with a future," Freedman said.
"I don't care what anybody says, even though the margin was big the other day, it's not easy going from a maiden to a benchmark 72 in town."
"He is still learning his craft and he's got a bit of upside."
"I will see how he pulls up. I'm always a little hesitant with horses that have raced a bit through the winter, how far into the spring you press on with them," he said.
Purchased for $380,000 from the draft of Segenhoe Stud at the Magic Millions yearling sale by MyRacehorse Pty Ltd, Michael Freedman Racing, Gandharvi Pty Ltd and Belmont Bloodstock Agency, the Fairway Thoroughbreds-bred and part-owned Ninja is also raced by a host of leading stud farms including Torryburn, Sledmere and Widden.
Ninja is the third winner from four foals to race from Impulsive, a metro winning half-sister by So You think to Group 1 winner Laisserfaire, Group 3 winner A Time for Julia and stakes-winners Time Thief, Foreplay and Personify (dam of Group 1 VRC Oaks winner Personal).
Impulsive is the last foal of Group-winning blue hen Procrastinate and was sent to the Northern Hemisphere in 2023 to be covered by champion French sire Siyouni, where she produced a colt and is now due to foal this season to Anaome.
Interestingly it is also the family of Blue Gum Farm’s Sejardan (Sebring) who is set to cover his third book of mares this season at a fee of $13,750 (inc. GST).
Ninja is one of four winners from just nine runners so far this season for last season’s Leading First Season Sire on winners and stakes horses, with Farnan set to stand for a fee of $77,000 (inc. GST) this season at Kia Ora Stud.
