Dean Hawkins admits to shedding a tear or two when With Your Blessing was sold as a yearling.
The family offered the stunning looking youngster under their Wentwood Grange banner at the 2020 Inglis Classic Sale where he left the ring with a A$70,000 price tag.
“He was absolutely beautiful as a yearling and, hand on heart, the only horse that I’ve loved that much that I cried when he was sold, he was my all-time favourite horse,” Hawkins said.
The son of Vadamos has since earned more than 10 times his purchase price, with seven wins from the Randwick quarters of John Thompson.
With Your Blessing posted his latest and most important success on his home course on Saturday when he broke through at stakes level in the Gr.3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m).
He had previously placed in the Gr.2 Tramway Stakes (1400m), the Gr.3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) and Gr.3 Show County Quality (1200m).
“He’s been knocking on the door and really stepped up this year and he’s come out and performed very well in good quality fields,” Hawkins said.
“They’ve looked after him and been really patient and every campaign he’s better and stronger.”
With Your Blessing is out of the Darci Brahma mare Super Trouper, who was successful on five occasions.
“We bred her and raced her down the line with Kevin Hughes, she was very, very fast and had a lot of ability but we just couldn’t get black type with her,” Hawkins said.
“She’s got a filly by the Cox Plate (Gr.1, 2040m) winner State Of Rest, who stands at Newgate, and she was covered the other day by Switzerland.
“We took a bit of a gamble but loved the physical and paper mating. Sometimes you get it right and sometimes you get it wrong, so we’ll see.”
With Your Blessing continued a hot recent run of success for the Waikato operation.
Wentwood sold the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) winner Quintessa on behalf of Peachester Lodge owners Graham and Linda Huddy at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $170,000 to Te Akau’s David Ellis.
They also offered the Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) winner Affirmative Action at Karaka where he was bought for $115,000 by Ballymore Stakes, Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Catheryne Bruggeman.
The son of Yes Yes Yes had been a A$40,000 pinhook at the Inglis Weanling Sale by Odyssey Bloodstock.
“It’s been a great start to the new season and let’s hope it carries on,” Hawkins said.
The farm also bred and sold Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) placegetter Intention, winner of last season’s Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m).
A $65,000 yearling buy for trainer Mike Breslin and InToWin Syndication, she is a daughter of Bivouac and the unraced Snitzel mare Beela Hudood.
“She’s got a cracking Super Seth filly, who will head to Karaka next year, and she’s in foal to Noverre,” Hawkins said. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
