When the full brother to G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Switzerland defeats the half-brother to G1 Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot, it’s a race worth taking note of, and that’s exactly what played out in the Hyland Race Colours (1600m) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Recording his third victory in a row, the Michael Freedman trained Decorum (Snitzel) jumped the short-priced favourite with Tommy Berry letting the 3yo colt settle on the rails in third place with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Lancelot Du Lac (Flying Artie), a half to the 2025 Slipper winner going forward to lead.
Stepping up the tempo as the field passed the 600m mark, Lancelot Du Lac took the field into the home straight with Berry pulling to the outside of the leader to make his challenge.
Racing over the 1600m for the first time, Decorum needed to show some fight, but once alongside the leader, it was clear he had plenty in reserve as he took his record to three wins and a second from four starts with $125,525 in earnings.
With his only loss coming on debut when a half length second to Attica (Lonhro), who would win the G1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) just three starts later, it would not surprise to see that pair clash in the G1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m), with the duo also holding nominations to the G1 Doncaster Handicap (1600m) and the G1 Australian Derby (2400m).
Representing the Michael Freedmand yard, Ben Duckworth was on hand post-race.
“Very happy with this colt,” enthused Duckworth. “Every time he's stepped out, he's improved, he's taken it to the next level.”
“It's good to see him have something of to chase today. Got a little bit lost out in front here two weeks ago.
“Everything we've wanted him to do so far, he's been able to execute. He's very versatile.
“It was very important today from that barrier one that we got a nice clean jump. Which he executed very well today, so with that in his back pocket, he can certainly sort of execute wherever we want to place him.
Having ridden Decorum in his past two wins, Berry feels that once the penny drops for this colt, it will be the making of him.
“What I liked about today's race is that Gai’s (Lancelot Du Lac) was always going to be ridden to its strengths, which is to try and break up the field, and my bloke is not really a sit-and-sprint customer, so it was nice that I was able to work into it and had a bit more to chase today, where the other day I got there quite early,” said Berry.
“He's slowly getting there. He was a lot better in the barriers today which helped him jump a little bit cleaner. He got on the bridle for like 50 metres and then he dropped it again and relaxed really well.
“I just can't wait to get him to 2,000m. He feels like he's looking for that sort of ground and there's definitely a good race in him. I'm just not sure which one it is.
“The Randwick Guineas might be a little bit sharp for him, but you've got to sort of go there on the way to a Rosehill Guineas and he reminds me of, not that I've ridden, but Attica, I've seen plenty of him. He reminds me a little bit of him a prep ago.
“He's a sort of a prep behind him (Attica) but he's sort of one of those horses, he’s a real working-class horse, he gets his job done and when the penny drops, which probably won't be until the spring. He's just going to keep going the way he's going.”
A graduate of Arrowfield Stud draft Inglis Easter yearling sale draft where he was secured for $550,000 by TFI, Decorum is the second foal of the imported, G3-winning Ms Bad Behavior (Can), who has been covered by Snitzel in her first five seasons at stud.
Kicking off her broodmare career in outstanding fashion, Ms Bad Behavior’s first foal is the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Switzerland. Knocked down for $1.5m to Tom Magnier at the 2023 Inglis Easter sale, the colt retired to Coolmore Stud after his racing career, covering 194 mares at a fee of $60,500 (inc. GST) at his first season at stud.
The third foal of the mare was also purchased by Magnier, selling for $2.7m at last year’s Inglis Easter sale. Named St Gotthard, the 2yo Chris Waller trained colt has had three trials to date, finishing fourth on each occasion.
Arrowfield Stud will present another Snitzel yearling colt from Ms Bad Behavior at this year’s Inglis Easter sale where he will be sell as Lot 451.
Last season, you guessed it, Ms Bad Behavior produced another colt by Snitzel from her fifth and final cover by the Champion stallion. The mare was subsequently covered by The Autumn Sun in the spring.
Snitzel will be represented by two lots at the upcoming Inglis Premier yearling sale including the second foal of dual G1 winner Nettoyer while at Inglis Easter we'll be spoilt for choice with 43 lots catalogued highlighted by the first colt out of Champion racemare Winx.
