At this time of year provincial maiden races can offer a wealth of three year-old talent and a Dundeel colt that won on debut at Hawkesbury on Thursday despite his best efforts to get beaten is a horse we want to see again.
Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, Call Me Coach had shown enough at the trials to be one of the top fancies for the 1300m maiden, but it took all of Dylan Gibbons skill to get him home home.
He settled kindly back in the field and travelled well, but when it was go time Call Me Coach was quite happy to stay with the pack and took some convincing to get going and have a crack.
Reluctant to go straight, he laid in on other runners and had to be continually corrected to hold his course, but still managed to surge clear and win by more than a length.
Call Me Coach needs to improve his racecraft, but the engine is certainly there.
A $440,000 Inglis Classic purchase from Arrowfield Stud for Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock, Call Me Coach runs in the colours of Jonathan Munz’s Pincecliff Racing.
Call Me Coach is the second winner from two foals to race from Mother’s Mercy, a winning three-quarter sister by Redoute’s Choice to Group I winners Autumn Angel and Baraquiel.
It’s a super female family that has also produced four time Group I winner Divine Maddona and dual Group I winning colt Tentyris, who is now at stud.
Call Me Coach was one of two well related maiden winners by Dundeel at this meeting with Power Broker scoring over 1600m at his second start for the Ed O’Rourke stable.
A $750,000 Inglis Easter purchase for his trainer from Arrowfield, Power Broker is a half-brother to stakes-winner Waltz on By and two more stakes placed horses and is the sixth winner from six foals to race from Group I MRC Thousand Guineas winner Stay with Me, a daughter of Champion 2YO and 3YO Filly Miss Finland.
