Espionage (AUS)
Espionage (AUS)
2 c Zoustar – In Times Of War by Street Cry
O: James Harron Bloodstock Colts, Mrs B C Bateman, Love Racing, Doyles Breeding & Racing, G1g Colts & Breeding Pty Ltd, P Mehrten, J-D Huynh, M A De Stoop, D Saab, Rockingham Thoroughbreds & G Harvey
B: Gerry Harvey
T: Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott
S: 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale V: Baramul Stud P: James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership, $1,000,000
W: Breeders’ Plate, Gr 3, 1000m, September 30, Randwick
Espionage (Zoustar) stamped himself down as a high-class colt when he overcame a difficult in-race trip to land the Breeders’ Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) at Randwick last weekend.
Having taken out an 845-metre trial at Randwick-Kensington less than a fortnight before his debut win, Espionage was sent off a $7.50 chance under Blake Shinn for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott training partnership.
Forced to make his challenge out wide turning for home, he finished well and fought best to beat his stablemates Straight Charge (Written By) and Prost (Snitzel) by a nose and a length respectively.
“He’s an expensive horse. He’s been beautiful from the outset. He’s done a great job, a well-deserved victory,” Bott said.
“I’m delighted for all of the connections. It’s an important race for these potential stallions, and each of those first three across the line are all big players in that department. They’ve all got significant upside to them.
“We will see how they pull up and work out what path to get in [to the Golden Slipper].”
The James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership went to $1 million to secure Espionage from the Baramul Stud draft at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
In winning, he became the 42nd individual stakes winner for his sire Zoustar (Northern Meteor) and is the second winner from as many to race out of the winning Street Cry (Machiavellian) mare In Times Of War, herself a daughter of Military Rose (General Nediym), winner of the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m), as well as the Reisling Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m), Gold Coast Guineas (Gr 3, 1200m), Calaway Gal Stakes (Listed, 1000m) and the BJ McLachlan Stakes (Listed, 1200m)
In Times Of War has a yearling filly by Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) and revisited Zoustar, who is standing at Widden Stud for a fee of $220,000 (inc GST), last spring.