Lofty spring goals set for exciting colt First Settler
Written Tycoon colt will be targeted at the Coolmore Stud Stakes this spring
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained colt First Settler (Written Tycoon) lived up to his small odds and large price-tag when he added further trimmings to Written Tycoon’s (Iglesia) two-year-old sires’ title by taking Saturday’s Russell Dawson Plate (1000m) at Flemington.
Bred by Gerry Harvey, who also remains in the ownership, and bought by owners Yulong and Mick Price from Harvey’s Baramul Stud’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $750,000, First Settler showed his ability with a debut win over 1000 metres at Caulfield by 2.25 lengths on June 29.
On the back of that run, the chestnut was heavily supported to $1.95 favouritism on Saturday, and while his winning margin – again over fellow colt Landmark (Nicconi) – was not as authoritative at 0.3 lengths, he still impressed with a professional victory in his first look at the Flemington straight.
Rider Michael Dee placed First Settler just off the pace from gate nine of 11 before pushing to the lead at the 300 metres, and while the colt began to shorten stride late, he found another kick on seeing Landmark flash up along the rail and defied his challenge.
Price said First Settler would have a brief spell before resuming with the Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) on November 2 in mind. Possible lead-ups, also up the Flemington straight, include the Poseidon Stakes (Listed, 1100m) on September 14, and the Danehill Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m) on October 5.
“I thought it was a tough win,” Price said. “He was there to be beaten. There were horses sitting off him. I didn’t want to complicate it before the race, I said ‘ride him like the best horse, and if he gets beat, he gets beat’.
“But I think the 1200 metres will be better for him. He’s a big, strong, powerful horse with a good set of lungs on him and I think the 1200 metres will be beautiful.
“He’ll have a little breather now. He’ll go out and be lined up for the nice three-year-old races, which will probably be the Poseidon, the Danehill and the Coolmore – all three or two.
“But it was good to see him win again.
“He was always going to be exposed, so there was always going to be something sitting there doing no work, and that was the second horse.”
Landmark, a $260,000 Inglis Premier buy for co-trainer Lloyd Kennewell, Group 1 Bloodstock and Matt Houldsworth from co-breeders and co-owners Widden Stud’s draft for a group of owners, firmed from $10 to $7.50 before his eye-catching second, a length ahead of $6 shot Skipjack (Rubick).
Just Like Gaby (Pierata), the first runner for dual Group 1 winner Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible), and an $800,000 Gold Coast buy for her dam’s trainer Ciaron Maher, ran a solid fourth on debut.
Bearing Yulong’s green and white, First Settler is raced by a consortium of owners including Rupert Leigh, Rick Smith, Noel Greenhalgh, Guy Mulcaster and his breeder Harvey.
He’s the third winner from three runners for his winning dam Graciousness (Street Cry), whose first foal is Vienna Princess (Snitzel), winner of the MRC Twilight Glow Stakes (Listed, 1400m) and the $1 million ATC Silver Eagle (1300m).
Graciousness also has a yearling colt by Snitzel who failed to reach his $250,000 reserve at this year’s Magic Millions National Yearling sale. She also has a weanling colt by Zoustar, and was covered by Snitzel again last spring.
Hailing from a rich family, the ten-year-old mare is also a half-sister to Vinery Stud’s Group 1-winning sire Casino Prince (Flying Spur), plus Group 3 winner Tagus (Encosta De Lago) and Listed-scoring pair Lord Of The Land (Timber Country) and Metallurgical (Redoute’s Choice).
Graciousness is also a half-sister to Lady Paget (Testa Rossa), dam of Group 1 winner Prince Fawaz (Fastnet Rock).
First Settler is among a superb, nation-leading 17 juvenile winners this term for Written Tycoon (Iglesia), who next week will complete a remarkable second two-year-old sires’ title – as a rising 22-year-old, and eight years after his first.
Residing at Yulong, Written Tycoon will stand his 18th stud season for a private fee this year and he has three more two-year-old winners than second-best Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice).
By earnings, his $4.86 million before this weekend – brought mostly by Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Lady Of Camelot – will seal him the juvenile sires’ title with one Saturday left in the season, beating second-placed Too Darn Hot (Dubawi), whose progeny have banked $4.15 million.
Written Tycoon will also take out the New Zealand two-year-old sires’ title, with his NZ$1.3 million in earnings some $900,000 more than second-placed Savabeel (Zabeel). They’ve come mostly from Velocious, winner of Ellerslie’s rich Karaka Millions 2YO (RL, 1200m) and the Sistema Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) amid four wins from six starts.