Prestige Forever (AUS)
2 c Ole Kirk – Cool Passion, by Not a Single Doubt
O: Mr T F Yeung
B: Mrs A McDonnell, Mr J McDonnell, NSW
T: David Brideoake & Matt Jenkins
S: 2024 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale V: Widden Stud P: E Yeung , $400,000
W: Xtreme Freight Valley Pearl, Listed, 1200m, March 22, The Valley
David Brideoake and Matt Jenkins look to have a smart colt on their hands in the shape of juvenile colt Prestige Forever (Ole Kirk), who showed his talent when he landed The Valley Pearl (Listed, 1200m) in stylish fashion last Saturday.
Having finished second in a Listed contest over 1000 metres at Flemington on debut just three weeks prior, Prestige Forever proved far too strong for his five rivals on his second start, taking up the lead on the home bend, before powering to a 3.8-length victory over Chergui (Frosted) with the third-placed Pure Passion (Snitzel) a further 1.7 lengths back in third.
“He ran really well first up, and just probably overdid it a little bit, but it was really good to see him get a good run in transit today and he was really strong late,” Jenkins said.
“He’s probably not quite fully developed, but in what he’s done so far, he’s been really impressive. He was bought by a really high-profile owner of ours called Eric Leung, who’s a massive supporter of his stable, so well done to him and his family.
“We earmarked this race post his first-up run, but where he goes from here on I’m not sure, I’ll speak to David [Brideoake] and see what he thinks, but he looks like he’s got a bright future and there are several options, Sydney and Adelaide look very enticing.
“He’s a little bit of a highly strung colt, so whether he goes to the paddock now or has one more we’ll see, but they’re all good options ahead.”
Purchased by Eric Yeung for $140,000 out of Widden Stud’s 2024 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale draft, Prestige Forever was bred by Anne and John McDonnell and is the third foal and second winner out of the Group 3-winning Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice) mare Cool Passion, herself a half-sister to Listed winner Havana Wind (Spinning World).
Ole Kirk currently sits atop of the first-season sires’ table on both earnings and winners, with a total of seven winners to date, three of those at stakes level, with Prestige Forever joining the ill-fated Breeders’ Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) winner King Kirk and Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) winner O’ Ole.