Widden Sires Quinella G3 Breeders Plate
The Group III ATC Breeders Plate is the first two year-old stakes race of the season for colts and geldings with $1million Zoustar colt Espionage taking the prize ahead of Written By colt Straight Charge.
The race also produced a trifecta for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott who trained the first two and the third horse Prost.
Ridden by Blake Shinn, Espionage stalked the early speed and was strong to the line to edge out the Yulong owned Straight Charge by a short-half-head.
Adrian Bott said he was still processing the result.
“Just trying to dissect it all,” he said.
“Saw the two stablemates clear out there and have a great battle. They’ve been two quality colts all the way through. I’m delighted for all of the connections. It’s an important race for these potential stallions, and each of those first three across the line are all big players in that department. They’ve all got significant upside to them.”
A trifecta for @GaiWaterhouse1 and another 2YO stakes winner for Zoustar after the Gr3 Breeders Plate.
1st -Espionage (2c Zoustar x In Times Of War) $1mil yearling buy for @jmeharron from Baramul Stud at @mmsnippets GC.
2nd – Straight Charge (2c Written By x Matryoshka)
3rd -… pic.twitter.com/bgLeJnSNb8— Breednet (@BreednetNews) September 30, 2023
“We’ve been lucky over the years to get the right support. Three heavyweights in the industry and they’re buying quality horses and we’re getting the opportunity to train these types. That’s a big help, no doubt,” said Bott.
“He’s (Espionage) an expensive horse ($1 million yearling); he’s been beautiful from the outset. He’s done a great job, a well-deserved victory.
“All of them performed very credibly today. We will see how they pull up and work out what path to get in (the Golden Slipper).”
The James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership shelled out $1,000,000 for Espionage from the Baramul Stud draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The son of Zoustar is the second winner from as many to race for the talented Street Cry (USA) mare In Times Of War, a daughter of Group II winner Military Rose. A descendant of the breed-shaper Summoned, In Times Of War revisited Zoustar last spring.
Espionage is the 42nd stakes-winner for Widden Stud’s flagship stallion, Zoustar.
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