Double for Ole Kirk
Vinery Stud’s first-season sire Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) had a winning across-the-cards double on Friday, taking his individual winner’s tally to four.
Prestige Ole (2 c ex Major Wager by Exceed And Excel) provided the Golden Rose (Gr 1, 1400m)-winning stallion with his third winner when scoring in the opening contest at Ballarat.
Ridden by Ben Allen for trainers David Brideoake and Matt Jenkins, the colt took out the 1200-metre maiden by 0.4 lengths over Mind Battlefield (Magna Grecia), with a further 1.3 lengths back to Zorb (Zousain) in third place.
Prestige Ole was offered as a weanling at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, and as a yearling at Inglis Easter, but was passed in on both occasions.
He was then sold via the Inglis April (Late) Sale last year for $70,000 to E Yeung when offered by Twin Hills Stud. Prestige Ole is the only winner from three foals out of the Listed-placed winner Major Wager (Exceed And Excel).
Ole Kirk then sired his fourth winner when the Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained Next Jen (2 f ex Fashion Sniptz by Snitzel) proved a length too good for her ten rivals in a 1300-metre contest at Newcastle.
Making her racetrack debut, the filly was sent off an $11 chance under Chad Schofield and defeated Napoleonic (Wootton Bassett), with a further 0.4 lengths back to Daphnes (Street Boss) in third place.
“She’s a beauty,” the winning rider said. “I got filled with confidence on the way up. Annabel said she really liked her.
“She just made it very simple for herself. Showed great maturity on her debut. She jumped fast. Dropped the bridle with cover.
“Showed fight, pushed one of Godolphin’s [Daphnes] out of the way at the top of the straight. A really good debut and beat some good opposition.”
Next Jen was a $30,000 purchase for Neasham from the Valiant Stud draft at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in 2024, and is the only winner from five foals out of the winning Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) mare Fashion Sniptz.
Ole Kirk now sits in joint-second place in the first-season sires’ table alongside Coolmore’s Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj), the pair being just one winner behind Kia Ora’s Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) who has five winners so far.