Spendthrift Farm's Jimmy Creed (USA) has only had three runners from eight named foals from his first Australian crop of 16 live foals, but the son of Distorted Humor made it two from three following an impressive career debut by Knock Knock at Bendigo on Sunday.
Ridden by Dean Holland for trainer Paul Preusker, Knock Knock was well back in the early stages before being gifted a ground-saving passage along the rail to confront Godolphin's odds-on favourite Deference (Exceed And Excel) in the final 200 metres.
After a
short, sharp battle, Knock Knock drew a half-length clear with Just Jake (Reward
For Effort) two and a quarter length back in third.
Paul Preusker was quick to credit Darren Weir for doing the groundwork with Knock Knock.
"He came to me hard schooled and Darren put the hard work in and with the Weir touch these horses are tough and bulletproof and I'm lucky enough to get on the back of that," Preusker said.
"For me, I still don't think he handles it (the heavy track) but I'm glad we held off with him for a bit because I think he is up for something a little bit better and he will improve with time."
Purchased by Darren Weir Racing for $60,000 out of the Ambergate Farm draft at the 2018 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, Knock Knock (pictured as a yearling ) is the third winner from five to race out of the winning More Than Ready (USA) mare Shameless whose granddam Rubrani (Rubiton) is a sister to Group III Sweet Embrace Stakes winner Millrich the dam of dual Group 1 winner, dual The Everest winner and $15.5 million earner Redzel as well as the Group III winner and accomplished stallion Danerich.
The third leading second crop sire in North America in 2018, Jimmy Creed (USA) will have more than double the number of foals to represent him in the new season and he covered 112 mares in 2017 and 75 last year.
Jimmy Creed (USA) returns to Spendthrift Australia in 2019 at a fee of $8,800.
