Lift off for New Endeavour as he grabs maiden Australian win
Classy stayer New Endeavour (New Bay) chalked up his first victory on Australian soil at the 16th attempt on Saturday when taking out the Lord Mayor’s Cup (Gr 3, 1800m) at a rain-soaked Eagle Farm.
Having hit the frame in Group races on five previous occasions, including a runner-up finish in the 2024 Doomben Cup (Gr 1, 2000m), the European import was tackling a Heavy-rated surface for the first time at the weekend and seemed to relish the conditions.
Sent off the $3.25 second-elect under Tim Clark in the seven-runner field, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained five-year-old hit the front approaching the final 300 metres and kept on strongly inside the closing stages to beat Tavi Time (Tavistock) by 2.4 lengths.
The third-placed Bankers Choice (Mongolian Khan) finished a further 2.7 lengths behind.
“He’s been promising so much and come so close,” said Bott. “12 months ago he was up here and went within a whisker of winning the Group 1 Doomben Cup.
“I was confident with him coming in and there was some good excuses there for his last start and thought he’d enjoy those heavy conditions, particularly coming off a strong 2000-metre run.”
Bott revealed that the gelded son of New Bay (Dubawi) may have an extended stay in Queensland following the victory.
“He might have to settle in now and stay up here a bit longer. I’m sure there’ll be some nice races pop up. We wanted to get today over with and then we’ll make an assessment off the back of that,” he said.
Clark, who had saluted aboard Campaldino (Ghibellines) for Waterhouse and Bott in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (Gr 3, 2400m) the race before, was also happy to see his mount finally break through.
“We thought that in the spring he could aim up to some better targets, but it just hasn’t been the case,” the winning rider said.
“But good to see him get a confidence-boosting win there. He’s been knocking on the door.”
New Endeavour was purchased by Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott and Johnny McKeever Bloodstock at the 2023 Goffs London Sale for £260,000 from his former trainer Roger Varian’s stable.
From his 16 starts in Australia, he has earned his connections over $775,000 and became the 22nd individual stakes winner for Ballylinch Stud stallion New Bay.
He is out of the unraced Invincible Spirit (Green Desert) mare Moody Blue, herself a half-sister to Group 3 winner Luminous Eyes (Bachelor Duke), who is in turn the dam of Fastnet Rock’s (Danehill) dual Group 2 winner and Group 1 placegetter Lumosty.