Enriched – one of the best-bred colts in Australian racing – enhanced his reputation as a future stallion prospect when winning Saturday’s Gr2 A$1m Arrowfield 3YO Sprint at Randwick.
The Michael Freedman-trained Enriched is by Champion Sire I Am Invincible out of Miss Atom Bomb, a half sister to 25-time G1 winner Winx.
Enriched (Tommy Berry) wins the Gr2 Arrowfield 3yo Sprint at Randwick (Pic – Martin King/Sportpix)
Enriched was already a Stakes winner heading into today and despite not being a Gr1, the Arrowfield is widely regarded as a stallion-making race, with recent winners including Wild Ruler, Rebel Dane and Derryn.
“He is a high-class colt,’’ Freedman said.
“He’s obviously a son of I Am Invincible out of a half sister to Winx so it’s a big page. To win this race, it’s a Group 2 but potentially could have Group 1 status because I think he has a future at stud.’’
When asked if he thought his phone would start ringing from interested stud farms after the win, Freedman quipped: “We hope so, we’ll wait and see.
“He’s a beautiful individual, a great looking horse.
“I’m rapt for Peter and Terry Board, they bred the horse and stayed in him, David Wallace from New Zealand and a bunch of other guys are involved, I’m really happy for them, they’ve been great supporters of mine.’’
Freedman teamed up with Gandharvi Racing and Michael Wallace to purchase Enriched for A$450,000 at the Easter Yearling Sale, where he was offered in the Bhima draft.
Enriched is now a dual Stakes winner and will likely head to the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
Meanwhile patience paid off in the most incredible fashion when Matcha Latte (Maurice) scored a memorable victory in the A$1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final at Randwick.
Trainer Sara Ryan has had “quite the journey’’ with Matcha Latte, who was one of the leading 3YOs in Australia in 2022/23, placing behind the likes of Golden Mile, Osipenko and Sharp ‘n’ Smart at Group level before injury hampered his career.
“As a younger horse we always loved him, he was the most pleasant colt but he did his tendon two years ago and we were told he’d never make it back to the track so we just took our time to rehab him, gave him all the time he needed and to get him back has been an effort and a half from everyone,’’ a delighted Ryan said.
“For him to be here and racing as well as he has, I’m lost for words.’’
Ryan trains for Domeland, who purchased Matcha Latte for A$150,000 at the Classic Yearling Sale, where he was offered by his breeder Arrowfield.
“It feels wonderful, it’s a credit to the entire team, they’ve all worked so hard on this horse and it’s just wonderful to see that all pay off today,’’ Domeland’s King Cheng said.
“It’s a credit to our entire organisation that this horse was even given the chance to be here today, let alone winning.
“This was the right race for him, it’s a race where class usually stands up and it did today so I’m very proud of him and very proud of the team.’’
At Morphettville on Saturday, Inglis graduates won three Stakes races.
Exciting juvenile Petit Artiste (Earthlight) showed a devastating turn of foot to score a comprehensive three-length win in the Listed Without Fear Stakes.
The 2YO filly is an Inglis Premier bargain buy, costing her trainers Ash and Amy Yargi just A$15,000 from the Collingrove draft.
Bred by Doug Love, Petit Artiste is now a Stakes-winning 2YO at just her third career start, with Saturday’s victory a valuable first black type win.
Talented colt Reserve Bank (Capitalist) defeated a strong group of 3YOs when winning the Listed Redelva Stakes.
Trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr, Reserve Bank was dropping back from the Gr1 William Reid Stakes to a set weights and penalties affair and proved too strong.
The trainers purchased Reserve Bank for A$410,000 at the Premier Yearling Sale, where he was offered by his breeder Segenhoe Stud.
And untapped filly Cinch (Dundeel) scored a courageous on-speed win in the Gr3 Auraria Stakes.
The Easter Yearling Sale offering of Fairview Park Stud – who bred the filly with Dr Ian Duckworth and Kianben Bloodstock – is building an imposing career record which now sits at 6:3.2.0.
Saturday’s was a valuable first Group win by Cinch, who appears destined for further black type success in coming weeks and beyond.
And at Bendigo on Saturday Regal Zeus (Zoustar) made it back-to-back feature race wins with victory in the Listed Golden Mile.
Regal Zeus won the VOBIS Gold Sprint at Caulfield last start and is one of the most consistent horses in training – he has now finished in the quinella at nine of his past 10 starts.
Regal Zeus is a A$150,000 Easter Yearling Sale purchase for his trainer John McArdle’s Redgum Racing with Regal Bloodstock and Blue Grass, from the draft of his breeder Edinburgh Park.
