Seriously Good gave his Caulfield Guineas hopes a great boost today when he scored an impressive win over 1440 metres at Caulfield.
The sale topper from last year’s Magic Millions National Horses in Training Sale has always shown trainer Peter Morgan plenty of ability and today he broke his maiden status in emphatic style against quality opposition.
“I still think there’s a bit more to come from him too,” Morgan said. “We call him a little podgy boy – he carries a fair bit of condition.”
“He’s had his few problems with his white cells up and down.”
“I think there’s more in him and we’ve still got him in the Guineas – so we could go that way – if we can get into the field.”
“We thought he might have been a sprinter earlier. He’s shown everything in his work that he’s a good horse.”
“In his few runs he’s been a little dour so I think he’ll get a little bit further than 1400 (metres).”
“I think backing up (from last week’s Guineas Prelude) has done him good. We got a bit more weight off him.”
“The owner paid a lot of money for him and I must thank Bruce and Jill (Mathieson) – they’ve stuck by me – so congratulations to them.”
At the post Seriously Good ($14-$15-$13) held a widening three quarter length margin over Lee Freedman’s well regarded three-year-old Smokin’ Joey ($3.50-$4.20-$3.90).
A similar margin back in third place was the Darley representative Meredith ($6-$8.50).
A son of leading Eliza Park stallion Bel Esprit, Seriously Good was originally purchased from the draft of Jonel Park Thoroughbreds at the 2009 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $20,000.
The Washpool Lodge team then prepared him for last year’s Magic Millions National Horses in Training Sale – where he topped that sale when purchased by Morgan for $360,000.
“He was the talk of the sale,” Morgan said of Seriously Good. “Liam Birchley had him for a while and he won a trial in Brisbane and ran a brilliant breeze up.”
“My man (Mathieson) didn’t stop bidding and we eventually got him for $360,000.”
“He’s always shown us plenty of ability and you’ll see that from some of the races we’ve run him in.”
Seriously Good is one of three winners produced by the winning and city performed Bellotto mare Bellain.
Bellain, whose win came over 1400 metres, is a half sister to the New Zealand stakes winner Volare as well as the city winning dam of South African Group One winner South Africa – the champion 2yo colt of his year in that country.
Seriously Good’s second dam, the once raced Bold Lad mare Boldetta, is a half sister to the Group One winner and champion sire Sharpen Up.
Washpool Lodge, who prepared and sold Seriously Good at last year’s National Horses in Training Sale, did likewise with Melbourne Cup winner Shocking and Macau sensation Viva Pronto.
Next month at the Gold Coast the Washpool team will present another outstanding line up of outstanding ready made gallopers.
