The racing and breeding world was shocked earlier this week by the passing of champion sire Wootton Bassett (GB), whose talented son West of Swindon picked the right race in which to break his maiden when scoring a bold front running victory in the $300,000 Group II MVRC Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Trained by Ciaron Maher after initially starting his career with Team Hawkes, West of Swindon showed immense talent in a brief three start juvenile campaign that produced seconds in the $1million ATC Golden Gift and Group II ATC Silver Slipper before an unplaced run in the Golden Slipper after an interrupted lead up.
A last start second to G1 winning I Am Invincible colt Vinrock in the Listed VRC Exford Plate over 1400m, West of Swindon has a pedigree that always looked as though further would suit him better and that proved the case.
Given a positive ride by Ben Melham, he led throughout and had enough left to hold off a determined challenge from Romantic Encounter to win by half a length with Vinrock finding the from back in the field to finish fifth as favourite.
Ciaron Maher always believed West of Swindon would be hard to beat.
“I was very confident, he’s a high quality colt and he’s beautifully bred. He might have been a maiden going into tonight, but I can’t think of a better way to break that maiden,” Maher said.
“Onwards to the Guineas (Caulfield G1) now and I can’t thank my team enough as they’ve done a great job with him and Ben Melham gave him a beautiful ride and took the race by the horns, made every post a winner and backed the horse, so fair play to him.”
Ben Melham believes West of Swindon can make his presence felt in the $3million Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 11.
“He's a pretty well-credentialed horse. He's been running in some better races in Sydney, around the best three-year-olds in Australia,” he said.
“He's strong at the mile, he's got a great attitude, he's got a good will to win for a colt, and he's got a good action, so that'll hold him in good stead."
A $350,000 Magic Millions purchase from Widden Stud for Hawkes Racing, West of Swindon runs for Qatar Bloodstock and partners and has banked over $450,000 with a win and three placings from six starts.
Bred by Qatar Bloodstock and foaled and raised at Widden, West of Swindon is the first winner for Fife, a winning half-sister by Starcraft to Group I MRC Caulfield Cup winner Fawkner and Group II winner Tanby.
Fife was on-sold at the 2023 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale with Stonehouse Thoroughbreds picking her up for $60,000 and she has a yearling colt by Toronado (IRE) and is due to foal again to Wootton Bassett.
West of Swindon is the 72nd stakes-winner for Wootton Bassett and is his first Australian bred stakes-winner.
