A bright future is being tipped for well-bred three-year-old Day One following his maiden victory in the Barfoot & Thompson 1600 at Ellerslie on Thursday.
He had shown a lot of promise at the trials before running fifth on debut over 1400m at Arawa Park last month, and trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson had been pleased with his subsequent progress.
He jumped away well from his wide gate on Thursday, but there was plenty of speed inside him and jockey Opie Bosson was forced to ease his charge back to sit midfield.
At the 600m, Bosson followed race favourite Arthur three-wide and presented his charge at the turn and Day One showed a good turn of foot in the concluding stages to score a 1-1/4 length victory.
“It was a really good effort, especially after not getting all favours in running, but Opie didn’t panic and the horse produced a big effort to win,” Walker said.
“I think he would have learned a lot from the experience and he quickened up like a nice horse.
“He’s a big, scopey type of horse with a lot of raw ability, which we saw today, and he’ll only get better as we step him up in distance.
“I loved the way he relaxed and then quickened so well in the straight.
“Obviously he’s very well bred and it’s great to get another win for Lib Petagna and the Elsdon Park team in Matamata.”
Day One hails from a rich pedigree, being a son of ill-fated Coolmore stallion Wootton Bassett and Group One performer Eleonora, a half-sister to Group One performer Supera and the dam of stakes winner Ethereal Star.
He was bred and is raced by Elsdon Park principal Lib Petagna, whose bloodstock agent Bruce Perry purchased Eleonora as a yearling on his behalf out of Pencarrow’s 2015 Karaka draft.
“As a broodmare, she (Eleonora) seems to be doing a great job as well and it’s exciting to have another nice prospect in Day One,” Perry said.
“Day One had a leg issue as a yearling, so we didn’t put him through the sales, but he seems fine now. He’s racing as a gelding and Te Akau are doing a good job with him.
“We’ll try and get some black-type with him at his next start, and there’s some nice options over New Year onwards.
“The stable has had a high opinion of him and it’s good to see that rewarded at his second start.”
Perry is also looking forward to seeing his Maurice half-sister go through the Karaka sales ring next month when offered as lot 178 through Elsdon Park’s draft.
“We’ve got a cracking filly by Maurice in the Elsdon Park draft going to the yearling sales in January at Karaka, and Eleonora is in-foal to Super Seth,” Perry said. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
