Aardvark looks another exciting prospect for Harron
Away from all the deserved noise about Tulloch Lodge’s two-year-olds, James Harron isn’t having too bad a season himself.
The colts syndicates giant has one of the most exciting horses in the land in unbeaten Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) equal favourite Bodyguard (I Am Invincible).
And Harron’s famed dark green with gold epaulettes has been borne with distinction by three colts who sit alongside Bodyguard in the top 13 of betting for the Golden Slipper Stakes: Breeders Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) winner Espionage (Zoustar), Canonbury Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) runner-up Fearless (Pierata) and Highness (Snitzel), Wyong’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1100m) winner who was was second to Storm Boy (Justify) in the Magic Millions “grand final” at the Gold Coast.
As if that wasn’t enough, Harron celebrated another potential juvenile star at Flemington yesterday when Aardvark – a son of Harron’s 2016 Golden Slipper Winner Capitalist (Written Tycoon) – stormed to victory in the Talindert Stakes (Listed, 1100m).
Sent out a $4.60 equal second-favourite in a wide-open ten-runner field on resuming after his debut third in October’s Debutant Stakes (Listed, 1000m), the Leon and Troy Corstens-trained Aardvark bided his time in sixth and seventh under Damian Lane before unleashing a powerful finishing burst once in space at the 200 metres to score by a length and a quarter.
Ben Brisbourne’s debutant Reasonable Point (Blue Point) came close to becoming her northern hemisphere boom sire’s first Australian winner, as his 14th runner, in flashing home for second at $15, while the winner’s stablemate Bittercreek (Snitzel) took third on his first start at $20.
Aardvark’s win presents a slight brain-teaser for Harron and the colt’s trainers. He was close to running in last Saturday’s Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (Gr 3, 1100m), won so impressively by Bodyguard, but it was felt he’d be more ready after another week.
Now, after his imperious victory up the Flemington straight, the major temptation is there to back him up on a week’s break in the Blue Diamond, for which bookmakers last night reversed his price – from $41 to $14.
“It’s always hard as he’s had a tough run and he’s now a stakes winner,” Troy Corstens said. “So, we’ve got to be a little bit careful, but It’s tempting and he’s still in it. I’ll have a good chat with James and see how he pulls up on Monday or Tuesday.”
Starting in the $2 million Blue Diamond would of course mean a clash with the Team Snowden-trained Bodyguard, although considering the form of Harron’s team, perhaps a winner and a placegetter wouldn’t be too much to hope for.
“It’s not really about steering clear of anything,” Harron said after the Talindert. “We’ll just get him back and see what Troy thinks.
“He was going to go to the Prelude, but we just felt like he needed that extra bit of time. His fitness levels could have come on a little more. Troy made a very smart decision in just waiting that extra week, and giving him an extra jump-out down the straight here, to have him cherry ripe for today.”
Harron has been the successful bidder for the four two-year-old stars who didn’t run yesterday: Bodyguard, at $1.6 million, Espionage ($1m), Highness ($900,000) and the relative cheapie Fearless ($220,000).
He’s trodden a different path with Aardvark. Baystone Farm’s Dean Harvey purchased the Highgrove Stud-bred colt for $240,000 at Magic Millions Gold Coast, in association with the Corstens stable. Harron bought in, via one of his colts syndicates, following two Flemington jump-out wins.
Yesterday, he was extremely glad he’d followed Harvey’s advice.
“Hats off to Dean Harvey and Troy because they purchased him as a yearling, and we actually bought this horse after watching his trials and jump-outs,” Harron told Racing.com.
“Myself and my partners really liked what we saw. We followed the horse for a long time. Dean’s a good mate of mine and he flagged him with me and said this is a horse you should have your eye on. The rest is history
“We bought into the horse before his first start. He ran very creditably when he ran third to Coleman [in the Debutant Stakes]. He had a nice break and has come back a bigger, better, stronger version of himself.”
Aardvark’s victory represented Capitalist’s fifth juvenile winner of the season – putting him equal top with Snitzel and Queensland’s Kobayashi (I Am Invincible). The Newgate stallion also sits in the top five on the Australian general sires list by winners (94), and started yesterday at a personal-best eighth by earnings.
Of yesterday’s beaten brigade, Team Snowden’s Newgate/China Horse Club third-starter Counteroffensive (Deep Field) led but faded late into fourth as $4 favourite, while debut winner Pro Forma (Capitalist) – racing in the same colours but for Waterhouse and Bott – never threatened and finished sixth at $7.
Godolphin debutant Eject (Street Boss) was a disappointing seventh as $4.60 co-second favourite, while Tony Fung’s Adelaide and Brisbane winner Wolfgang (Exceed And Excel) was a disappointment in finishing second-last at $8.50.
Reflected by the Blue Diamond market, a feeling remained the Talindert was something of a showcase for those not quite up to Blue Diamond Prelude standard.
Lane concurred, whilst savouring his third straight Talindert success after those of I’mlovin’ya (Capitalist) and Maharba (Pride Of Dubai), but said Aardvark would improve for the outing.
“He’s probably just off the A-graders at the moment, but he got really hot pre-race and spent a lot of energy sweating up and getting himself into a bit of a fizzle.
“If he can get a better handle on his pre-race manners and improve out of the run, then hopefully he can take that next step.
“I just hope that with the experience he’s better. I’ve trialled him three times this preparation, and his manners have been getting better. Hopefully that’s a sign that today will bring him on.”
Lane said the move to ride Aardvark worse than midfield yesterday was forced on him.
“He didn’t jump that well, so it forced my hand a little bit,” he said. “In the end it was the spot to be, and he blended into the race at at the right time.”
Aardvark (2 c ex Hollywood Mistress by All American) became the 18th individual stakes winner for Capitalist with his win yesterday. His dam Hollywood Mistress (All American) missed to Darley’s Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) after foaling Aardvark in 2021. She now has a filly foal by Bivouac and was covered by Ole Kirk (Written Tycoon) last September.