Stepping up to 1400m for the first time off the back of a last start third over 1200m, the Jon O’Connor trained Neveu was simply too strong in the run to the line, winning the $150,000 G3 SAJC Sires’ Produce Stakes at Morphettville on Saturday.
With the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Spain flying the gates under Winona Costin and going forward to take up the lead, Microphone gelding Tweeter came across to track the leader while jockey Andrew Stead had Neveu travelling sweetly in third.
When the runs started to come just before the home turn, both Tweeter and Neveu began to put the pressure on Spain, but it was short lived as the Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray trained Tweeter weakened out of it just as quickly as he started his challenge.
Pairing off from the rest of the field, Spain and Neveu went stride for stride down the Morphettville straight and at the 300m mark Neveu took over, but Spain came back.
In a photo finish, Neveu took the race narrowly from Spain with Hellbent filly There You Go two lengths back in third.
“It was very satisfying,” said O’Connor. “We set in for the race many weeks ago now, so, yeah, it's good when the plan comes off on the day and, yeah, it worked out perfectly.”
“We looked to have beaten it (Spain) off and so you're looking back in the field saying what's getting home and nothing's getting home and then when I look back to us again I thought geez this thing's kicking back.
“You expect that with the Waterhouse spot horses don't you, they're hard and tough and they never lay down without a fight so it wasn't unexpected but yeah we're nervous, nervous to watch the last few strides but yeah I was confident we got there though.”
“He's just one of those rare horses that, you know, the day he walked into the stable, I just thought, gee, he just blew me away, just the look of him.
“I think I remember going to Kim after he first arrived, I said the horse had just walked in a minute ago, he was the best horse we've had in a long time, I can tell you that right now.
“They can't look that good and not be above average and he's backing me up all the way along.
As for where he is heading next, O’Connor felt he may target some back end Spring races in Melbounre.
“He's certainly going to the paddock on Monday, but for how long I don't know, we've got to really pick the eyes out of the Melbourne program and work out, maybe just after some of the majors there might be a nice little group three-year-old around that distance.”
With two wins and two placed efforts from five starts with earnings of $46,200, the Mr CJ Martin bred Neveru is the first winner, and stakes winner out of the two-time-winning Akeed Mofeed mare Bubbles McGinty, herself a grand-daughter of the Listed winner Just A Kiseki.
Bubbles McGinty was retired after producing her one and only foal, Neveu – giving the mare 100% stakes winners record as a producer.
Becoming the 11th stakes winner for Rich Enuff, the Written Tycoon stallion will stand the upcoming breeding season at Victoria’s Woodside Park Stud at a fee of $11,000 (inc. GST).
