Weather With You (NZ)
3 g Teofilo – Tarique by Rock Of Gibraltar
O: Mr T A Hartley, Mr L C R De Souza, Mr M Tsui, Mr W Y C Leung
T: Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman
B: Pocket Lodge
S: 2016 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale yearling V: Sun Stud $27,000 P: Andrew Forsman
W: Geelong Classic, Listed 2200m, Geelong, 25 October
After placings in three of his first six starts, the New Zealand-bred three-year-old Weather With You broke through for his first win, laying claims for the Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) in the process.
Racing in blinkers for the first time, he broke from barrier five under Mark Zahra and raced in fourth early on before settling outside the leader at the 1400 metre mark.
He went to the front nearing the home turn, held a break at the 200 metre mark and then fought back strongly to score a really good win, seeing out the 2200 metre trip in a time of 2:16.47.
Weather With You is the only winner of four named foals out of placed Rock Of Gibraltar (Danehill) mare Tarique, who is herself a half-sister to dual Group Two winner Pasta Express (Rigoletto) and stakes winner Stella Maree (Magic Ring).
Further back, this is the same family as Group One winner Bonaria (Redoute’s Choice) and Group Two winners Twirled (Turf Ruler) and Classy Fella (Kenmare).
In 2015 Tarique foaled a filly by Sun Stud-based Love Conquers All (Mossman) and produced a colt by the same sire in 2016 and was most recently covered by him again in September last year.
Weather With You’s win in the race also provided Darley shuttler Teofilo (Galileo) with his 72nd stakes winner and he stands at Darley Kelvinside for a fee of $44,000 (inc GST) and will stand the Northern Hemisphere breeding season at Kildangan Stud for an unchanged fee of €40,000 in 2018.