Hedge purchases set for track debuts at Caulfield and Rosehill
Bloodstock agent Suman Hedge has a busy Saturday ahead with both a purchase and pinhook set to make their debuts for owners at Caulfield and Rosehill respectively.
Stretan Ruler (Wild Ruler) will take the first steps in his racing career when lining up in the Merson Cooper Stakes (Listed, 1000m), a $175,000 contest for two-year-olds only.
The race has attracted a 13-runner field, but a lack of experience should not be much of a hindrance with only three of those having had a run already, although the Phillip Stokes-trained colt has drawn barrier 12 under Lachlan Neindorf.
Purchased by Stokes and Hedge for $220,000 out of Willow Park Stud at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Hedge was quick to mention the colt’s Group 2-winning half-sister Stretan Angel (Harry Angel).
“I started doing some work with the Stokes stable this year and he is part of the first group of racehorses we bought together,” Hedge told ANZ News.
“Phillip has had great success with the family, obviously having trained Stretan Angel.”
Hedge revealed that he had liked the look of Stretan Ruler at the sales, and felt he presented as a ready made type.
“He was a really well put together horse, very athletic. He had the appearance of looking early and that he wasn’t going to take too long,” Hedge said, while also admitting he felt the final price tag could actually have been a bit more.
“We were delighted to be able to buy him and I thought he might make a touch more, but we were very happy we were able to get him.
“He is very straightforward, everything we’ve put to him he’s taken in his stride and that’s a testament to his temperament that he’s come this far pre-Christmas.
“Generally, if a two-year-old comes on this early they’ve got a good brain – he’s certainly like that.”
On this weekend’s debut task for the colt, Hedge is hopeful, but also realistic on his chances, with Stretan Ruler having won both of his trials to date.
“There are some pretty good horses in that race, so it will be a good challenge for him, but hopefully he can acquit himself well and be there at the finish,” he said.
Out of the Bernardini (A.P. Indy) mare Sretan, Stretan Ruler is by Newgate Farm stallion Wild Ruler (Snitzel) and Hedge admitted the sire is one he is getting to know better.
“I haven’t had a huge amount of exposure to the stallion, but I’ve been looking at them pretty closely and they’ve presented well at the sales,” Hedge said.
“They seem to have good minds, there’s been a couple of them I’ve seen at the trials and they’ve performed quite well. His progeny seem to be a bit more precocious than him.
“He kept improving as a racehorse and got better and better, but they seem to have a good juvenile brain on them.
“So far from what I’ve seen I’ve been impressed and we will definitely be looking at them closely again in the next series of yearlings sales.”
Hedge will also have an interest in proceedings at Rosehill on Saturday where the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Palmanova (Tassort), a horse he pinhooked, will take on the opening contest of the card, the Schweppes Handicap (1100m) under Tim Clark.
Drawn in gate six in the ten-runner sprint, the daughter of Tassort (Brazen Beau) has finished third and first in a pair of trials prior to this weekend’s contest.
Purchased by Hedge and Trilogy Racing for $180,000 out of B Cool Bloodstock at the 2024 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale, the juvenile filly was then sold to Yulong Investments for $350,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January.
Hedge admitted the filly was a standout at the sale and was not surprised to see her nearly double her weanling price.
“The Tassort filly was an absolute stand-out at the sale, everyone loved her,” he said. “She came out of a small draft and it was one of those surprises that often happens at a sale.
“She was just gorgeous. She was that nice, there was a temptation to keep and race her. But she’s gone to a good stable with good owners. She looked like a yearling as a foal. She was strong with a huge hip and shoulder.
“That stallion has been very effective, especially with his fillies, so hopefully that will follow suit with her and she can have a good career.”
Hedge is also hopeful that Palmanova can make a promising debut this weekend, and add to what has been a solid year for the agent at the sales.
“We’ve had some good results this season with our pinhooks. We have had some good results with the transactions, but it’s also good to see them perform well on the racetrack,” he added.