Blue-blooded Exceed and Excel colt Danawi cast off maiden status with a well-deserved nose win in the 1400 metre feature from determined Zoustar filly Mizzy with promising Dundeel colt Dealmaker stamping himself as a classic contender with a gallant third. (images Steve Hart)
Second at his three previous runs including last Saturday in the Group III ATC
Up and Coming Stakes, the Tim Martin trained colt led throughout for James
Innes Jr and was tenacious to the line. He survived a protest from the rider of
runner-up Mizzy to post his first win taking his overall earnings to $141,900."We're looking at the Golden Rose and Caulfield Guineas for him, those types of races," said Tim Martin, who also trained his Group I winning sire Exceed and Excel.
"I'm just not sure yet whether he will run again before the Golden Rose (September 22), we'll just see how he pulls up."
A $400,000 Inglis Easter purchase for his trainer from the Milburn Creek draft, Danawi runs for a big syndicate including his breeder John Muir, who raced his dam Secret Admirer with much success.
Danawi is the first living foal of Dubawi (IRE) mare Secret Admirer, who won over $1.4 million with highlight wins in the Group I ATC Flight Stakes and Epsom Handicap. Milburn Creek sold a colt from Secret Admirer by I Am Invincible at Inglis Easter this year with Tim Martin again the purchaser at $560,000.
Secret Admirer has a yearling colt by Snitzel and is due to foal to Vancouver.
Danawi is the 148th stakes-winner for evergreen Darley champion sire Exceed and Excel, who stands this spring at a fee of $82,500.
