Merovee (AUS)
3 c Frankel – More Strawberries by More Than Ready
O: C J Waller, N A Greenhalgh, Mrs M T Greenhalgh, Mrs C M Cook, B L Mathieson, R Smith, K Warriner, Dr E Attebo, A Cree, B Singer, A Allan, Mrs J Madden, Vinery Stud, Strawberry Hill Stud, Greenwich Stud, Echo Beach Bloodstock, Mystery Downs, R&C Legh Racing, Werrett Bloodstock and Encompass Bloodstock
T: Chris Waller
B: Strawberry Hill Stud
S: Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale V: Strawberry Hill $1,600,000
W: XXXX Gold Maiden Plate, 1350m, Newcastle, 15 August
Merovee was slow to move from barrier two under Hugh Bowman and was settled back in fifth place in the early part of the contest, before improving nicely nearing the 600 metre mark. As the field came into the straight, the colt was ridden to the lead and responded to Bowman’s urgings to hit the front at the 200 metre mark to score by just over half a length in a time of 1:20.04.
Purchased by trainer Chris Waller for $1,600,000 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling, the son of Frankel (Galileo) is the first foal out of the dual Group Two winner More Strawberries (More Than Ready), who also ran third in the 2010 Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m).
More Strawberries herself is a half-sister to Group One winner and now sire All American (Red Ransom) and the Listed-placed Connecticut (Danehill).
Further back the colt’s third dam is the 1988 Prix Morny (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Tersa (Mr Prospector), who produced dual Grade One winner Rock Hard Ten (Kris S) and the dams of Listed winners Mi Amigo Guelo (Dehere), So Elite (Pleasantly Perfect) and Empresaria (Don Guido).
After missing to Fastnet Rock (Danehill) in 2015, More Strawberries foaled a filly by the Coolmore sire last year and was covered again by the same sire in 2016.
Merovee’s win also provided champion racehorse Frankel with his first winner in Australia. The sire of 12 individual stakes winners, Frankel stands at Juddmonte Farm’s Banstead Manor in Newmarket, where his fee in 2017 was £125,000.