After ten seasons at stud and with little more than a handful of live foals in his last three seasons, Vital Equine (IRE) is in the form of his life.
The son of Danetime continued his hot run at Belmont on Saturday with three winners highlighted by the emotional win of his star performer Material Man in the Group III Strickland Stakes (2000m).
They just don't come any more honest than Justin Warwick's 6yo gelding who overcame a wide run to down his old foe Pounamu (Authorized) by a short neck with Gatting (Hard Spun) a length back in third.
He has now won the Group III Belmont Sprint, Group III Hyperion Stakes and Group III Strickland Stakes in his three starts since capturing the Peth Cup at Ascot on New Years Day.
A homebred for Michael and Jill MacDermott, Material Man to 14 wins, 4 seconds and 1 third from 23 starts with earnings of $1,312,775.
Ridden by his daughter Lucy, Justin Warwick thought Material Man was a sitting shot for Pounamu.
"When you're three-deep without cover from the 800 onwards and you're main danger's stalking you, I thought he (Pounamu) was going to get over us today," Warwick told The West Australian.
"Everyone knows how good Pounamu is. We've had some good tussles along the way and I'm glad we had our head in front.
"I think Lucy summed it up pretty well. You're on the best horse and you keep them in the clear.
"He's taken us for a good ride and we'll try keep him in one piece and keep the ride going for as long as we can."
The Melbourne spring carnival looms large for Material Man who is yet to race outside of his home state.
Material Man is the first foal of the Rosehill winning Hussonet (USA) mare Del Lirio whose 5-time winning dam Miss Anna Louise is a half-sister to Listed AJC Reginald Allen Stakes runner-up Touched By God (Sunday Silence) who is the dam of Oceana Boss (Red Ransom) a multiple stakes placegetter in Japan.
From the famed Eight Carat family, Miss Anna Loise is out of the unraced Salieri mare Sally Klaire who is a sister to Listed Belle Of The Turf Stakes winner and Group 1 VRC Oaks third St Klaire (Bletchingly) the dam of the Group 1 winners Bonanova, Telesto and Fraternity.
Material Man has an unraced half-sister named Scandalous Miss, however, Del Lirio spent a leisurely four years in the paddock before being covered by Wandjina late last spring.
The day began well for Vital Equine (IRE) with Peter Knuckey guiding the 3yo gelding Rockon Tommy to a two and half-length win in a benchmark 64 over 1400 metres before the Brett Pope-trained gelding Bella's Idol earned his second win shortly after Material Man's triumph.
Vital Equine (IRE) began his career at Yarradale Farm before relocating to Rosalee Park in 2016.
A son of Danetime, Vital Equine (pictured ) won the Group II Champagne Stakes at York, was second in the Group 1 Two Thousand Guineas and third in the Group 1 Grand Criterium at Longchamp.
He completed his 10th season at stud covering 24 mares at a fee of $4,400.
