Ending last season with 11 first crop winners in Australia, Newgate Farm’s Wild Ruler has announced himself as one to watch with his 3yo's as the G1-winning son of Snitzel secured a double on Thursday with Count Du Money scoring at Gosford before Face The Wild broke her maiden at Ballarat.
Improving off his debut second behind Home Affairs gelding Home Missile at Scone, the Nathan Doyle trained gelding started on the third line of betting in the small five-horse field behind Bjorn Baker’s short-priced favourite Temptation who was making her debut.
Settling in second position on the outside of leader Temptation, jockey Ashley Morgan was content to maintain his position, ensuring the favourite didn’t get it all her own way in front.
Cornering for home, Tommy Berry went for the favourite as Count Du Money started to challenge the Darby raced filly.
Getting the better of the leader, Morgan put the whip away as the he had the race parcelled up, scoring by a little under a length.
Purchased for $200,000 from the draft of Attunga Stud at the Magic Millions yearling sale by his trainer and Mitchell Bloodstock, Count Du Money is the fourth winner from five to the races out of the Wanted mare Wanted Lady, a half-sister to Listed winner Missy Cummings who is in turn the dam of G1 winner Mizzy and G2 winner She’s Got Pizzazz.
Twenty minutes later, Wild Ruler recorded his second winner from as many runners on the day as 3yo filly Face The Wild gave the Tony and Calvin McEvoy stable a Ballarat double.
Resuming recently with an unplaced effort at Caulfield, the First Light Racing owned filly started the short-priced favourite, with only one other runner in the ten-horse field starting under double figure odds.
Ridden by Harry Coffey, who had also ridden the stable’s previous winner Lepolo, the filly went forward after jumping from the outside gate, and once the filly rounded the first bend, she found herself in second, racing on the outside of Lindsey Smith’s What Once Was.
As the pair headed for home, it was clear that Face The Wild had more to offer as the filly kicked clear, holding off the late charge of Isle Of Mona to score by the best part of three-quarters of a length.
Fresh from taking out the Ballarat opener with Lepolo, Tony McEvoy was pleased with the win of the filly.
“Look, she won. I'll be interested to talk to Harry, said McEvoy. “She looked like she was a little bit out on her feet late. So, like I say, she's been away from home, out of that routine."
“I'm interested to see how she pulls up after this race.
“But look, she's a talented filly, and the ability's in there, and we've just got to help steer her to get the best out of her.
“Yeah, she's a lovely filly. We bought her at the sale. She's got great depth and strength about her, and she looked fast, and she is fast. So, I think there's more to come.”
A graduate of Telemon Thoroughbreds draft at the Magic Millions yearling sale when purchased by her trainers, First Light Racing and Belmont Bloodstock for $150,000, Face The Wild was originally purchased for $55,000 at the Inglis Weanling sale when offered by Alma Vale and Kitchwin Hills partnership.
Bred by Boutique Thoroughbreds and Ridgmont Farm, Face The Wild is the third winner from four races out of the Charge Forward mare Face Forward, a half-sister to the G3 performed Privlaka.
Having finished second on winners last season in the first season sire race behind Home Affairs, and fifth on prizemoney, it’s worth nothing that a tick over $50,000 separated second through to fifth.
Taking his overall record to 14 winners, which includes one on Manila, headed by the G2 winner Stretan Ruler and the Listed Queen Regent, the Newgate Farm-based Wild Ruler will stand this season at a fee of $27,500 Inc. GST).
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