The powerful Chris Waller stable is lethal at this time of year in the juvenile races with a raft of well bred youngsters looking to step out before season’s end and three of them filled the trifecta at Kembla on Wednesday led by well bred Wootton Bassett (GB) filly Katoto.
Second on debut earlier this month in a strong maiden at Hawkesbury won by flashy colt Extremely Tempted, Katoto was sent off favourite for the 1300m maiden with Jason Collett to ride.
She had the benefit or race fitness and pounced late to score a long neck win over well credentialled first starter colts Unhinged and Tron Bolt.
Unhinged is a half-brother by Snitzel to $2.2million earning Group I winner Hinged and Tron Bolt, who topped the Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale last year when selling for $900,000, is the first foal of Group III winner Baccarat Baby, a half-sister to triple Group I winner Duais and Group II winner Philia.
The first three home will all be worth following forward from today.
“The filly having the benefit of that one run under her belt was the turning of the tables today given that she had that little bit race experience and fitness,” said stable representative Darren Beadman.
“It was a gallant effort by her and she is a lovely filly by Wootton Basset that is going places.”
Jason Collett was well pleased with Katoto.
“She was clean from the gates today and was I was able to get her into a good spot,” he said.
“It was a soft win, albeit not by a big margin, but I had a lot of horse under me from a long way out.”
A $450,000 Magic Millions purchase from Baramul stud for Waller Racing/Mulcaster Bloodstock, Katoto is a half-sister to multiple Group II winning filly Savvy Hallie, who tested the mighty filly Tempted when a close second in the Group I ATC Surround Stakes.
She is the third winner from three foals to race from Rose of Savannah, a winning Fastnet rock grand-daughter of dual Group I winner Savannah Success, the dam of Cox Plate winning champion sire Savabeel.
Rose of Savannah produced a filly by Reliable Man (GB) last spring before going to I Am Invincible and her yearling colt by Home Affairs sold for $200,000 at Karaka Book 1 this year to Pike Racing.
