A promising field of juveniles lined up at Bendigo on Saturday for the $250,000 VOBIS Gold Rush (1100m) and talent overcame race experience with unraced Home Affairs colt Marffiano making a winning debut for the Lindsay Park training partnership.
A big strong colt that has had a good education at the trials, Marffiano loomed up three wide on the turn for Declan Bates and kept finding to the line to win by a half a length over his stablemate Resonant.
“He’s been a bit of a slow burn and not quite there mentally for a while, but that was a very good performance,” co-trainer Ben Hayes said.
“To come out and win a big VOBIS race is a big thrill. We’ve just got to see how he pulls up, but he’s won a big race now and we might just cuddle him and give him a nice break before the spring.”
Marffiano was a $475,000 Magic Millions purchase from Lime Country Thoroughbreds for Laurel Oak Bloodstock (FBAA)/Lindsay Park Racing and was a successful pinhook having been sourced from the Pepper Tree Farm draft at Magic Millions National Weanling Sale for $280,000 by James Bester Bloodstock.
Bred by Iskander Racing, Marffiano is a half-brother to Group II winning colt Tycoon Star, who is also trained by the Lindsay Park team and heads to the Group I SAJC Goodwood Handicap next Saturday.
Marffiano is the second foal and second winner from Group III placed Miss Iano, who was bought by Yulong in 2024 from the MM National Broodmare Sale for $310,000.
They sold a yearling Written Tycoon colt from her at Inglis Easter this year for $1.3million to Ciaron Maher Bloodstock / David Redvers Bloodstock, so her broodmare career is certainly off to a flyer!
Marffiano is the eighth first crop winner for Home Affairs, whose service fee has been increased this year to $176,000.
