The Little Pumper (AUS)
2 g Shalaa – Sensibility by Redoute’s Choice
O: A Bowler, A McClure, Elm Racing (Mgr: J Sheehan), W Kerr, Grass Artist (Mgr: J Skrivanic), Bamboo Bloodstock (Mgr: W Wendt), Mrs G Bozinis-Wendt, P Baker, Fumakeco Racing (Mgr: S Kelly), Mrs K Perry, W Pantel, R Wilson, M Slack-Smith, N Hinkley, S Bruhn, Mrs L Bruhn, J McKay & Mrs S McKay
B: Dr R McClenahan
T: Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott
S: 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale V: Valiant Stud P: Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott / Kestrel Thoroughbreds, $120,000
W: Bivouac @ Darley Maiden Handicap, 1250m, June 21, Canterbury Park
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained The Little Pumper (Shalaa) broke his maiden at the fourth time of asking when he dominated a 1250-metre handicap at Canterbury on Wednesday.
Having his first run since February 1, after placing once from three outings, the juvenile son of Shalaa (Invincible Spirit) was pushed out to gain the lead in the early stages and travelled well under jockey Tim Clark throughout.
Lifting the tempo of the race approaching the home turn, the pair scorched clear of their nine rivals at the 200-metre marker before going on to score by two and a quarter lengths over Sound The Siren (Mendelssohn), with a further head back to One Last Shot (All Too Hard) in third.
“This little horse was coming back in class, and to win as he did shows his class,” stable representative Neil Paine said. “It was impressive how he stretched out in the last furlong.”
“He has his mind on the job after being gelded, and the owners will have a lot of fun with him.”
A $120,000 purchase for Waterhouse and Bott in conjunction with Kestrel Thoroughbreds at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, The Little Pumper is the fifth winner from as many to race out of the winning Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) mare Sensibility, who was second to Guelph (Exceed And Excel) in the 2013 Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m).
Sensibility is a sister to stakes winner Intrusion and a half-sister to VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) winner Running Tall (Stratum). Her Castelvecchio (Dundeel) colt was a $60,000 purchase for John Ramsay from the Valiant Stud draft at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, while she was covered by St Mark’s Basilica (Siyouni) last spring.
Woodside Park Stud’s new recruit Shalaa will stand his debut season for $22,000 (inc GST), having stood for $33,000 (inc GST) at Arrowfield Stud last season.