Racing
Richly bred colts finish one-two at Warwick Farm
The first foal of a former top Godolphin mare has scored an encouraging win on debut.
Blue-blooded thoroughbreds are not a mainstay of Joe Pride's stable so it's no surprise the Warwick Farm horseman is hard pressed to think of a better bred galloper to have come through his yard than Warwick Farm winner Attica.
By champion Lonhro, the colt is the first foal from multiple Group winner Savatiano and was placed in Pride's care when Godolphin farmed out its racehorses to public trainers.
"It's got to be close (to the best), doesn't it?" Pride said of Attica's pedigree.
"When they gave me the horses they said, 'we've given you Attica' and I didn't know who Attica was so I looked it up and thought, wow."
The three-year-old showed ability to back up his pedigree with an impressive debut win in the opening race at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, albeit he took some cajoling from jockey Adam Hyeronimus.
Pride said that was no surprise given Attica ($4.40) had a relaxed nature, but the colt managed to knuckle down when it mattered and reel in another richly pedigreed colt in Decorum ($8), a brother to Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Switzerland.
"First start in a race and you've got to come here and do it under race pressure and as much as he's shown us at home, he is a very laidback, casual type," Pride said.
"He needed to wake up today and he did that under race pressure, which is good."
Pride is keen to see Attica graduate to stakes company sooner rather than later, although he will let the dust settle before deciding where the colt can chime into the carnival.
Kris Lees also has black type aspirations for Precise Air Handicap (1200m) winner Cantiamo ($3.10 fav) after she lumped 60kg to victory, her second win in as many starts this campaign.
Lees believes there is still upside to come and will weigh up a number of targets in Sydney and Melbourne.
"She's an exciting filly. She's not winning by big margins but she's not the finished product yet either so she is doing a good job," Lees said.
"There are a couple of options in Melbourne I'd consider, one around the Valley.
"She is ticking all the boxes so far. We'll just keep an eye on these better stakes fillies. We will take them on at some stage we will just see how she comes through today."
Ridden by James Mcdonald, Cantiamo scored by a short neck over Surf's Up ($14), one of only two other fillies in the race.
Check out our FREE full form, ratings for meetings in nine countries each and every day.