A full brother to progressive Chris Waller trained three year-old Hello Captain, talented Hello Youmzain (Fr) juvenile Persian Wonder was Group placed during the autumn and returned from a spell to break the ice at Canterbury on Wednesday.
Trained by David Payne, Persian Wonder was tested in elite company in his last campaign finishing fourth in the Group III ATC Pago Pago to Warwoven and second in the Group III ATC Baillieu to Southend.
Dropped back in class with two recent trials to tune him up, Persian Wonder was favourite for the $100,000 super maiden over 1200m and given a positive ride by Zac Lloyd was too good.
Given a good shake up at the furlong to chase down the leader, Persian Wonder warmed to the task and went on to win by half a length.
“Class prevailed, but I'm actually quite surprised how well he’s done in his previous preparation, considering he's still very immature,” said Zac Lloyd.
“So that's obviously not the way to ride him, but I just thought I'd give him every chance to at least tough it out and that he did.
“I knew he was going to keep responding and once he got a couple of reminders then he really stretched out went on with the job.”
Bred and sold by Cambridge Stud, Persian Wonder was a $160,000 Inglis Easter purchase for his trainer and has won over $140,000 with a win and two placings from seven starts.
Persian Wonder is a three-quarter brother to UK based stakes-winner Never Back Down and is the fifth winner from five foals to race from Steer the Stars (IRE), a winning half-sister by Pivotal to stakes-winners Consort and Her World.
Cambridge Stud sold a Farnan yearling filly from Steer the Stars at Karaka Book 1 this year for $160,000 to Shijiazhuang Hongtao Horse Breeding.
Persian Wonder and his older brother Hello Captain look to be bright prospects for Cambridge Stud’s young Kodiac stallion Hello Youmzain (Fr), who stands at a fee of $20,000 this spring.
