We have been keen supporters of the Dubawi stallion Akeed Mofeed (GB) since his first crop hit the tracks last season but had to wait until the closing weeks of this season for Swettenham Stud's new recruit to put a stakes winner on the board.
It came at Morphettville on Saturday when the Hawkes Racing trained Assertive Approach kept his record at a perfect three for three when leading all the way in the Listed Lightning Stakes (1050m).
The 3yo gelding had been dominant at his previous two starts at Bendigo and Sandown Hillside and was never in danger on Saturday, coasting to a one and a quarter length win over the Group 1 Goodwood Stakes runner-up Behemoth (All Too Hard) with the only 2yo in the race Excess Funds (Rubick) a half-length back in third.
"He's the model racehorse because he jumps and goes forward and puts himself in a winning spot after you've gone a short distance," winning co-trainer Wayne Hawkes told racing.com.
"He's coming straight back to Melbourne and we haven't looked at the calendar, we're just seeing how he went today and then work it out from there."
Assertive Approach
is a homebred for Goldin Farms who recently moved their stallion Akeed Mofeed (GB) (pictured) from South Australia to Swettenham Stud in Victoria.
Goldin Farm's racing manager Brett Campbell said the win was timely for the stallion.
"We have been waiting a long time for this. We have been unlucky with a few horses that have gone very close but to finally breakthrough means a lot to everyone at the farm," Campbell said.
"We have had a good opinion of the horse even when he was back with the McEvoy's. He had a few niggling issues that stopped him getting to the track and unfortunately for Tony Mr Pan wanted to send a few more horses to the Hawkes'. So we made the transfer there to consolidate our trainer's a bit.
"He has had time to mature and put it all together and to do what he has done today."
Following the stakes placegetters Poised to Strike, Sunset Watch, Raging Queen and Twilight Run, Akeed Mofeed (GB) was past due to break the drought.
Goldin Farm's picked out Assertive Approach's dam Arrival out of the Segenhoe draft at the 2014 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
They paid $115,000 for the daughter of Choisir who was a stakes-placed winner of two races and is a three-quarter-sister to dual Group III winner Tuscan Sling (Danehill Dancer) and the unraced Single View who is the dam of the Group III MRC Coongy Hcp winner Kiwia.
Arrival has an unraced 2yo colt by Akeed Mofeed (GB) named The Phantom Bantam.
She has a yearling filly by the Hong Kong Cup winner and was bred back to him again last season after missing to Pierro in 2017.
Akeed Mofeed's fee has been set at $16,500 at Swettenham Stud for the forthcoming season.
