Coming off a last start win over stablemate Unhinged, who franked the form during the week with victory, the Chris Waller trained Snitzel colt Wonka highlighted his potential with a fighting victory in the $250,000 Listed ATC Dulcify Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.
With the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Savagram (NZ) charging out of the outside barrier to go a few lengths clear, jockey James McDonald had the second favourite Wonka settled in fourth position on the outside with his main danger Genisis Runner tracking him back in sixth.
Passing the 800m mark, jockey Tim Clark had Savagram three lengths clear and full of running as he looked to employ catch me if you can tactics.
Coming wide into the home turn, Savagram was quite a few horses off the inside fence as both Wonka and in particular Genesis Runner were even wider as the pair flashed past the leader to fight out the finish.
For the majority of the straight it appeared as if the Richard and Will Freedman trained Yulong colour-bearer Genesis Runner always had the better of Wonka, but right on the line it was a different story as the Snitzel colt took the prize, securing his second victory and first at black type level.
“I've been thinking the Carbine (Club Stakes) with him, but when you've got a Group 1 in your backyard like the Spring Champion you need to give it some thought,” said Waller.
“I'll talk to James and see what he feels and how he comes through today before deciding what's next.
“He won the big Inglis bonus last start and he fought that out really well today.
“The favourite (Genesis Runner) is a good horse so it was good to see him dig deep like that.”
Purchased for $360,000 out of the draft of Arrowfield Stud at the Inglis Classic yearling sale by his trainer and Mulcaster Bloodstock, Wonka was the highest priced lot by is sire sold at the 2025 sale.
The second winner, and also second stakes winner from two to the races out of the Camelot mare Re Edit (GB), Wonka is a full brother to the G2 Wellington Guineas winner Origins Of Love.
Having also trained Re Edit to three wins and a G2 placing, it’s pedigree that suggest that Wonka would have no issue stepping up to the G1 ATC Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) or even heading to the G1 VRC Derby (2500m) as he’s closely related to Monaco Consul (High Chaparral), a winner of both of those 3yo G1 races.
The second new stakes winner on Saturday for Arrowfield Stud’s multiple Champion Sire Snitzel after the earlier victory of Musandam in the Listed VRC Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m) at Flemington, Wonka is one of 177 individual stakes winner for his sire.
