Coming off a third last start in the Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m), Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young’s Ole Kirk 2yo colt Ko Phangan appreciated the drop in class to break his maiden over 1800m at Flemington on Saturday.
Sent off favourite in the small field of five, jockey Craig Williams jumped the colt straight to the front from the inside barrier before the Jett Stanley ridden 70/1 outsider Stunning Kitty pushed past to take up the lead.
With Williams allowing Stunning Kitty to cross and take up the running, the gelding went three lengths clear as Ko Phangan settled beautifully on the rail.
As the pace started to increase leading into the home bend, Patrick Payne’s Achy Breaky Heart was coming three wide to put himself into a challenging position, while the favourite was slightly pocketed behind the leader.
Once the leader drifted back towards the rails, Williams started to urge Ko Phangan through the gap, getting the better of Achy Breaky Heart with 200m to run, pulling clear in the run to the line to score by two and a half lengths.
Working home well was the Archie Alexander trained Notified to finish second, three parts of a length ahead of the weakening Achy Breaky Heart who took third.
Having won this race 12 months back with the ill-fated Arcora (Justify), who would go on to run second in the G1 VRC Derby (2500m) and the G2 MRC Autumn Classic (1800m), co-trainer Natalie Young felt a similar path may be followed by Saturday’s winner.
“He jumped really clean and I was thinking, please don't lead, please don't lead because I just, you know, the last couple of starts, I wanted him to sort of sit and really chase,” said Young.
“Obviously he took a sit and just was too good for them. So it was really good to see.
“It's a nice form race, they normally carry on like a Arcora last year went on to win a Cup prelude and second in a group one and two so look your ceilings there hopefully.
“We know he gets a distance, maybe a Caulfield Guineas in the spring but he'll probably have a little bit of a couple weeks lead up now like we did with the Arcora and just sort of pick a path and head towards the Guineas hopefully.”
The victory took Ko Phangan prizemoney haul to $158,250 with the A List Stud Pty Ltd bred colt costing connections $260,000 when secured from the Sullivan Bloodstock draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The colt was originally a $75,000 purchase for Sullivan Bloodstock and Bevan Smith Bloodstock from the A List Stud Pty Ltd (Unreserved Reduction Sale) draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale.
Ko Phangan is the second winner from two to the races out of the Poet's Voice mare Singing Sand, a three-quarter-sister to Listed winner Zubbaya (Dubawi).
Singing Sand has a yearling full sister to Ko Phangan, foaled a filly in the spring to Tassort before unfortunately missing to Prost in his first season at stud.
The sire of 11 stakes performers headed by the G1 Thousand Guineas winner Ole Dancer, the Vinery Stud based Ole Kirk will stand the upcoming season for a fee of $110,000 (inc. GST).
