JJ Atkins next on the agenda for Berzelius following rousing Sires’ Produce win
Australia’s highest-priced stallion Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) racked up stakes winner number 19 when longshot colt Berzelius defied a betting drift to lift Queensland’s Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
A $340,000 purchase at Magic Millions Gold Coast for trainer Michael Freedman, Michael Wallace and Kia Ora Stud, the well-bred Berzelius has spent most of this preparation at Freedman’s Gold Coast satellite stable under the guidance of the trainer’s brother and northern foreman Lee.
Something of a late bloomer, he debuted with an $11 victory in an 1110-metre Doomben two-year-old handicap on April 22 before being a well-beaten fourth of eight in the Ken Russell Memorial Classic (Gr 3, 1200m) as a $3.70 second-favourite.
That put him into the Sires’ as a drifting $31 chance, but under a good ride by Tommy Berry from gate eight of 16 – and settling well after the addition of visors and a cross-over nose band – the colt boosted his value greatly with a tough victory in the $1 million juvenile feature.
Sporting Kia Ora’s two-blues, Berzelius settled just worse than midfield, three-wide with cover behind an average pace on a drying Soft 5, before coming eight-deep as the widest runner when the field fanned around the home turn.
The colt knuckled down to his task strongly in the straight as he and Jenny Graham’s $10 shot Vantorix (Captivant) drew clear to fight out the finish. Berzelius won the battle, coming away to score by 0.32 lengths.
Tony Gollan’s Martis (Trapeze Artist) was third, a further 1.19 lengths away at $7.50. Top elects I Am Dirty (I Am Invincible) at $3.70 and Blind Raise (Ace High) at $4 disappointed, finishing seventh and ninth.
Bred by SF Bloodstock, Newgate Farm’s Henry Field and Hollymount Stud, Berzelius could yet make a barnmate at Newgate for Extreme Choice, whose 19 black type victors come from just 157 runners at a thumping 12.1 per cent, and who’ll stand this spring at a national record-equalling $385,000 (inc GST).
Fourteen of Extreme Choice’s stakes winners have scored at Group level, with six winning Group 1s.
“It was a great win, a great win,” Lee Freedman said.
“It was great for Newgate too as they’ll probably stand this horse when he finishes.
“We came up here and he won his maiden at his first start and then he was a bit disappointing at the Gold Coast, but he never got around that track, and he needed headgear on because he was very green.
“Probably his last 200 was the best of the race at the Gold Coast, other than the winner, so we came here today thinking he wasn’t a 20-1 shot, he was probably an 8-1 or 10-1 shot.”
Freedman said Berzelius would likely continue to the $1 million JJ Atkins (Gr 1, 1600m) at Eagle Farm in a fortnight.
“I think so, although he’s a work in progress and he’ll be a better three-year-old,” Freedman added.
Berry said the 1600 metres of the Atkins “won’t be a problem”, adding Berzelius had benefitted greatly on Saturday from his gear changes.
“We really liked him heading into the Gold Coast, but he didn’t really get around the track and after that Michael said why don’t we put a bit of head gear on?” Tommy Berry said.
“I said, ‘Well if you’re going to go with headgear, you’ll need a crossover [noseband] as well, because he’s still doing a little bit wrong’.
“He’s a big baby, but you know, he’s an Extreme Choice so we know how sharp they are. He’s only going to keep getting better.
“He was a lot more switched on today, even in the barriers. He was standing there nice and quiet and focussed, and he jumped today and was able to get a good run.
“I had the opportunity to stay on the second placegetter’s back or move out around the bend, but he hit a bit of a flat spot. I just wanted to get him into the race and he still did a little bit wrong in the straight, but he’ll improve again after today.”
Berzelius is the eighth foal of Secret Liaison (Artie Schiller), a dual Melbourne Listed victor who’s thrown seven winners from eight to race. Second foal Styling City (Starspangledbanner) is one of the mare’s four city winners and was Group 3 placed. The extended family contains four more Group winners, descending from third dam Surprise Affair (Blushing Groom).
Bred by Contract Racing, Secret Liaison has only had one foal since Berzelius in what’s now a weanling colt by Newgate’s In The Congo (Snitzel).