Ole Kirk’s Legacy Bound produces a star performance at Morphettville
The explosive rise of Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) continued when the Vinery Stud first–season stallion’s son Legacy Bound became his fourth stakes winner in Saturday’s Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Morphettville.
With exceptional timing given Ole Kirk last week received a hefty service fee rise from $55,000 (inc GST) to $99,000 (inc GST), the Rob Griffiths-trained gelding dominated as a $1.85 favourite should, leading throughout for Mark Zahra to win by 2.8 lengths.
Staying unbeaten at his second start, after a 3.75 length Ballarat romp on debut, Legacy Bound beat home Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray’s filly Steel Trap (King’s Legacy). Richard and Chantelle Jolly’s Oakley Miss (Shooting To Win) earned a dash of black-type in third, 3.45 lengths further back.
Ole Kirk’s fee hike is a reflection of a stellar debut season, which was further enhanced when Legacy Bound became his second Group winner on Saturday.
The seven-year-old extended his lead on Australia’s first season sires’ table, which he heads by all markers, not just the earnings gap he has over second-ranked Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj).
Ole Kirk’s four stakes winners, of five stakes wins, put him ahead in that category over second-best Farnan’s three and three. And his ten overall winners and 13 wins are ahead of Farnan’s eight and 11.
On the two-year-old table, Ole Kirk sits second behind Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), sire of Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Marhoona, by both prize-money and winners, with one fewer than Snitzel’s 11.
But his quartet of juvenile stakes winners and five such wins are bettered only by I Am Invincible’s (Invincible Spirit) five and six.
Ole Kirk in fact has 11 winners overall. Somewhat bizarrely for a first-season Australian sire, his extra success has come in South Korea, with Free The One scoring at Seoul on April 19. The gelding was bought by Korean interests from deep in Book 2 at Magic Millions Gold Coast last year – for just $25,000.
Legacy Bound himself didn’t go through a sale, being entered but withdrawn from Magic Millions Gold Coast.
Breeders Vinery gave him to Griffiths to prepare, after the Cranbourne trainer showed his faith in the product by paying $1 million for another Ole Kirk in partnership with Peter Ford Thoroughbreds and Brookdale Racing.
That grey filly is now known as Superior Dame, and since she’s one of 95 foals from Ole Kirk’s 114-strong first crop yet to race, the future is looking extremely bright for the stallion who’s quickly become Vinery’s new flagbearer.
Zahra had high praise indeed for Legacy Bound, drawing comparisons to an exciting three-year-old colt he knows well, Ciaron Maher’s quadruple stakes winner – and Everest (Gr 1, 1200m) third placegetter – Growing Empire (Zoustar).
“Very similar – both horses a bit green, idled in front, but amazing turn of foot. Smart win,” Zahra told Racing.com.
“It was my first sit on him today. Big raw horse, just sort of played around in the gates and didn’t jump that well, but I was keen to use his speed.
“With Growing Empire, he was able to idle in front. When I asked him [Legacy Bound] at the 500 metres, I just thought, ‘Nothing’s going to catch me from here’.”
Legacy Bound is the fourth foal – and second winner among three to race – out of winning mare Sanaya (More Than Ready), whose mother, Astrodame (Flying Spur), won the MVRC Stocks Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) and placed in eight other black type events.
Sanaya missed to Ole Kirk’s barn companion Exceedance (Exceed And Excel) in 2022 but now has a weanling full-sister to Legacy Bound, and was covered by Exceedance again last spring.
Dual Group 1 winner Ole Kirk – who was extremely popular with 170 mares covered in his first season at stud – has four lots entered for Inglis’s HTBA Yearling Sale on Sunday.
A further four are entered for the same company’s Australian Weanling Sale next month, with nine at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale on June 3.