The Listed VRC Talindert Stakes (1100m) at Flemington has been won by some very good horses over the years including All Too Hard, who is a close relation of this year’s winner Ole Kirk.
Trained by Team Hawkes as was All Too Hard, Ole Kirk is a royally bred son of Written Tycoon as his dam Naturale is a half-sister to All Too Hard and full sister to undefeated superstar Black Caviar, who won the Group I VRC Lighting Stakes on this day at Flemington for three consecutive years between 2011 and 2013.
Despite his gold plated pedigree that had all the omens pointing to success, Ole Kirk was friendless in betting and paid $36.70 for the win on Super TAB.
Ridden by Dwyane Dunn, Ole Kirk settled behind the leaders and hit the line hard between runners to snatch a stylish short neck win over Nitrous with multiple stakes-winning filly Mildred in third place.
“He’s always shown talent, but he’s been a real lad and spent more time on two legs than four in the mounting yard,” said Dunn.
Entered for all the major juvenile features including Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper, Ole Kirk has a myriad of options going forward and is named after iconic Danish carpenter / creator Ole Kirk Christiansen, the founder of Lego.
“We won’t be making any decisions about his future today,” said co-trainer Wayne Hawkes.
“We just wanted to see how he ran today and now we can take stock.
“He’s a cousin of Black Caviar and Neil Werrett (Black Caviar co-owner) always wanted to buy him, he just needed our approval.”
A $675,000 Inglis Premier purchase from the Gilgai Farm draft for International Thoroughbred Solutions, Ole Kirk runs for a syndicate headed by Neil Werrett in whose colours he runs with his breeder Rick Jamieson of Gilgai Farm also retaining a share.
Ole Kirk is the first foal of unraced Naturale and was the second highest priced horse sold at Inglis Premier last year, so she’s had a perfect start to her stud career in producing a sale ring winner and a stakes-winner.
Naturale has a yearling filly to follow by Not a Single Doubt, but no foal last year after missing and now appears to be in foal to Exceed and Excel.
Ole Kirk is the 32nd stakes-winner for Written Tycoon, who will have 25 entries at Inglis Premier 2020 and you can see them here.
