St Gotthard (AUS)
2 c Snitzel – Ms Bad Behavior by Blame
O: Coolmore (T Magnier), Wynaus (D Smith), Westerberg (M Ryan), J Poulin, Chris Waller Rac (C Waller), K MacLennan, Meridian B/Stock (Y Ichikawa), Marcstown Pty Ltd (M Chan), R McClure, Glentree (B Wilson), Rockingham Thoroughbreds (J Ingham), Lynque (Ms L Ingham) & Lockhart Waller Racing (Ms M Waller)
B: Arrowfield Group Pty Ltd
T: Chris Waller
S: 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale V: Arrowfield Stud P: Tom Magnier, $2,700,000
W: Kia Ora Bloodlines To Headlines Maiden Handicap, 1200m, April 15, Warwick Farm
St Gotthard (Snitzel), a full-sibling to Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Switzerland, broke his maiden at the first time of asking when scoring over 1200 metres at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Lining up in the Kia Ora Bloodlines to Headlines Handicap (1200m) as the odds-on favourite, the colt edged out Peyton (Zoustar) by 0.2 lengths under James McDonald.
There was a further 2.2 lengths back to the winner’s stablemate Nations League (Snitzel) in third.
“Very talented horse, he’s been very well educated and handled at home. He was in foreign territory there, being the outside leader and left in front a long way from home and he just felt like he floated a little bit, but he’s got plenty of talent and it’s a beautiful horse going forward,” McDonald said.
“Anything he does, he does with ease and he’s got a nice nature. He’s the full package.”
A move into stakes company could be the option for St Gotthard following his debut victory.
“He did everything right, which was good. They went steady through the mid-stages and it was a good, solid sprint home,” Waller said.
“The second horse is pretty handy and put out a good challenge and it was good to see St Gotthard strong late. He’ll take good improvement from it and it was a good debut.
“It’s great to get horses up to Queensland, but if the weather holds here in Sydney, we can keep them here too. You can win a Saturday race in Sydney for $160,000, and then with a BOB’s bonus is it’s almost equal to a Listed race in Queensland.
“Here’s the main centre of attention for now, but obviously you’ve got the JJ Atkins if we get up that far and in the next few weeks we’ll be letting go some good two year-olds.”
St Gotthard was purchased out of his breeder Arrowfield by Tom Magnier for $2.7 million during Inglis Easter and runs for Coolmore and partners including Hong Kong investor Marc Chan – in whose silks he runs.
He is the third foal and third winner out of the imported Graded winner Ms Bad Behavior (Blame), making him a brother to Coolmore Stud Stakes winner turned stallion Switzerland.
Arrowfield sold the current yearling from Ms Bad Behavior, another colt by Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), at Inglis Easter this year for $2 million to James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership, Tony Fung Colts and Tom Magnier.