Wu Gok had two younger siblings beat him to the punch in landing a stakes win but the six-year-old son of Sebring is fast making up for lost time adding Friday's Listed Wyong Cup to his last start win in the Group III ATC Premier's Cup at Rosehill.
Settled just off a hot pace by James McDonald, the Chris Waller-trained gelding took control coming around the home turn and was strong to the line to defeat the Japanese-bred gelding Hush Writer (Rulership) by one and a half lengths with the winner's stablemate Vaucluse Bay (Al Maher) a nose back in third. (images Steve Hart)
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Wu Gok carries the colours of Heritage Bloodstock that have achieved Group I success for the Waller stable aboard Champion 3YO Colt The Autumn Sun and dual Oaks winner Egg Tart.
"I felt like I was on The Autumn Sun halfway up," McDonald said.
"He did a
great job today – found a really nice position early and I let him stride..jpg)
"He beat me last Saturday and I learned a little bit off him because he stayed on really well and I thought there won't be a horse that looks better than him today and he raced accordingly.
"It was a great effort by the team to back him up and have him run so well."
A $120,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Anton Koolman Bloodstock / Hermitage Thoroughbreds from the Widden Stud draft, Wu Gok advances his record to 9 wins, 6 seconds and 3 thirds from 32 starts with earnings of $576,035.
Bred by Robert Anderson and foaled and raised at Widden Stud, Wu Gok is the first foal of the Redoute's Choice mare Lipari who went from a 12-start, stakes-placed, maiden to one of the most valuable mares in the nation.
A $300,000 Easter Yearling, Lipari was purchased by Olly Tait's Twin Hills Stud for $170,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale carrying a filly by More Than Ready (USA), which was sold for $550,000 to Strawberry Hill Stud at the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, but that is just part of the story.
When Twin Hills purchased Lipari, the daughter of Redoute's Choice had colts by Pierro and Sepoy waiting in the wings.
The Pierro colt named Levendi won the Group I ATC Australian Derby while the Sepoy colt named Marcel from Madrid won the Group III National Stakes at Morphettville.
Lipari's three year-old Sebring filly named Lombardia was a $500,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Widden draft for George Moore Bloodstock and is showing promise, finiahing fourth at Hawkesbury at her most recent start.
Twin Hills consigned Lipari to the 2019 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale where Gerry Harvey's Baramul Stud shelled out $1,600,000 to secure her carrying an October 18 service to I Am Invincible.
