Winner: Brightexpectations (More Than Ready-Miss Brightman)
Race: STC Pago Pago Stakes G2 (1200m)
Sold for: $150,000
Sale: 2009 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Vendor: Torryburn Stud
Buyer: Gai Waterhouse
Earnings: $279,200
Owner(s): Miss K Waterhouse, The Punter’s Club Synd, Lorne Bloodstock Synd, A Menzies, Mrs H Manning, B Stracey, K Farrell & Mrs P Farrell
Trainer: Gai Waterhouse (Randwick)
Champion trainer Gai Waterhouse declared Brightexpectations as the horse to beat in next Saturday’s $3.5 million Golden Slipper Stakes after he demoralised his rivals in today’s Group Two Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.
“He just bolted in and that’s what he will do next Saturday,” Waterhouse beamed from the winner’s stall.
“It’s just fabulous for everyone.”
In an outstanding front running display, Brightexpectations ($2.50-$2.70-$2.60 fav) bolted clear of his rivals in the straight and despite being eased down he still had a three and a quarter length margin over Blackball.
The win was the second for the promising colt who shot to prominence when he scored a long head victory in the Magic Millions 2YO Wyong Slipper in December.
At his next run he finished 10th, after striking interference at the 400 metre mark, in the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic – a race won by ruling Slipper favourite Military Rose.
Waterhouse thinks star Vinery Stud stallion More Than Ready will be out to win three straight Slippers – following the success of Sebring and Phelan Ready.
“By the best sire in the world, More Than Ready.”
“Last year you saw he sired the Slipper winner and the year before the Slipper winner – why can’t this colt win the Slipper.”
Waterhouse said she went into the race bubbling with confidence after his recent short head second in the Group Three Skyline Stakes.
“I said this morning on radio in Melbourne – I love it when a colt starts to muscle up. And that’s exactly what this horse has done.”
“Every day he’s just a little more muscular – more masculine. Everyone wrote him off saying he’s too light – that’s More Than Ready.”
Brightexpectations kicked away his career at Flemington during Melbourne Cup week when he finished an encouraging fourth in the Maribyrnong Plate.
“That’s what I thought of him,” she said. “Then I bought him back and freshened him up and took him to Queensland.”
“By that time he said – that’s enough Gai, I’m exhausted. And then we gave him two weeks break – less than two weeks.”
“We gave him 12 days in the paddock and they rang to tell me they couldn’t put another ounce on him – that he’s fantastic.”
Purchased for $150,000 by Waterhouse from the draft of Torryburn Stud at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Brightexpectations has already earned his connections over $279,000.
And if Waterhouse’s predictions about next week are on the mark – his earnings and future stud value will sky rocket.
Winning rider Nash Rawiller was delighted with the performance and also exciting about backing up with the colt next Saturday.
“He’s proven (how good he is) today. I said six months ago that he was a very good galloper.”
“He disappointed us on a couple of occasions – but you saw the real horse that – that was a great effort,” Rawiller added.
“He’s a pretty tough horse. It was typical of one of Gai’s – you get them in that comfort zone and they’re very hard to run down.”
Rawiller said he knew he was on the horse to beat this afternoon when Waterhouse spoke to him moments before the race.
“We were confident that the horse had improved. Gai got Tania to leg me on, but she said to me before we went out that this horse was a moral today and won’t get beat.”
“When you hear something like that it fills you with confidence.”
“It’s great to have a genuine chance of taking home the Slipper,” Rawiller said. “The stable’s struggled so far to get one in, but we’ve timed it really well now.”
Brightexpectations is one of two winners, from two to race, for the Unbridled’s Song mare Miss Brightman.
Twice a winner to 1350 metres, and twice placed in Sydney, Miss Brightman is from a city winning Danehill half sister to Brilliance – a former smart juvenile who won the Canonbury Stakes and was second in a Pago Pago Stakes.
Further back it is the family of Sha Tin Vase winner Winning Counter and former champions Taj Rossi and Dark Eclipse.
