Blueblood gallopers brought in the new Australian racing season in style with three seven-figure yearlings and a daughter of former Group 1 mare Alizee all finding the winner’s stall early on Thursday.
Three-year-old Snitzel filly Kirribilli scored a fighting win in the first Australian thoroughbred race of the season at Cranbourne, five minutes before colt Dawn Service, the first foal from three-time Group 1 winner Sunlight, strolled home by four lengths at Hawkesbury.
“This impeccably bred son of Justify goes on to win by four.”
Tim Clark celebrates his 38th birthday by taking out the first race of the new season on @GaiWaterhouse1 & Adrian Bott colt Dawn Service, out of Sunlight, at @hawkesburyrc. @tabcomau
pic.twitter.com/RmhC00F5Xx — Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) August 1, 2024
It was the second start for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Dawn Service, who ran third, beaten 2-3/4 lengths, over 1100m on a Randwick Soft 7 on debut, but relished the step up to 1300m on a Soft 5 track according to jockey Tim Clark, who has been aboard for both starts.
“I know he’s impeccably-bred and out of a very fast mare, but I think he’s going to be a horse that appreciates getting out beyond distances even a bit further than today,” Clark said of the three-year-old.
“He did appreciate getting back on better footing as well.
“He’s come on nicely from his first start and, obviously, that’ll give everyone a bit of confidence going forward with him.”
Dawn Service is by Justify and cost $1.4 million at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, the same offering where Peter Moody paid $1 million for Kirribilli.
She is out of Darling Point, a daughter of Fastnet Rock mare Empress Rock whose only other foal to race is Listed-winning Sebring filly Dynasties.
“She’s a lovely filly, we’ve always had a nice opinion of her, but she’s just taken a while to get to the races,” Moody’s trainer partner Katherine Coleman said.
“She’s had a few little setbacks along the way, so connections have had to be patient with her and it’s nice to see them rewarded with that today.”
Dawn Service and Kirribilli were not the only seven-figure yearlings to win on Thursday with Zoustar gelding Northern Eyes, a $1.25m Inglis Easter yearling who was subsequently sold for $155,000, breaking his maiden at his second run for Kim Waugh in Race 2 at Hawkesbury.
The third race at Hawkesbury was won by Visual, a Godolphin homebred by I Am Invincible out of three-time Group 1 winner Alizee.