Almanzor (FR) is a well proven Group I sire who is nothing if not versatile, but a debut juvenile winner in Australia over 1000m is probably not what we expect to see.
The only two year-old in the 1000m maiden at Echuca, the Patrick Payne trained gelding Give it a Year was well fancied with Billy Egan to ride and needed every inch of the straight to wear down the leader.
He got there in the last stride to beat the Lindsay Park prepared Too Darn Hot (GB) filly Divine Bellini giving the impression further will definitely be better
A $90,000 NZB Ready to Run purchase for his trainer from the Prima Park draft, Give it a Year is cleverly named being the first winner from Buy Me a Rock, a winning blueblood Fastnet Rock mare, whose dam is a sister to Epsom Derby winning Champion 3YO Colt High Chaparral.
A six time Group I winner, High Chaparral has gone on to become a hugely influential sire through his outstanding sons Toronado (IRE), Dundeel and the late So You Think.
Bred by Cambridge Stud, Give it a Year has a quality pedigree and to win first up over a short trip can only be seen as encouraging.
Standing at Cambridge Stud, Almanzor has sired five stakes-winners this season and stands at a fee of $25,000.
