5 WIN SATURDAY: Precambrian Perfect

Continuing an excellent week for Te Akau Racing, Precambrian (4 g So You Think – Splendido, by Stratum) won the A$32,000 O’Connors CIH Echuca Maiden 2112 metres on Saturday at Echuca (Victoria).

A week earlier, Champion Two-Year-Old Lara Antipiova (Russian Revolution) started the ball rolling in the Listed Michael Moroney (1400m) at Flemington, while Sweetest Thing (Hello Youmzain) in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) was one of two wins at Riccarton. Midweek saw three wins during the local meeting at Matamata, which led to a rousing Saturday at Ellerslie, with four winners on the nine-race card. 

After finding the line solidly for fourth and fifth, respectively, in his last two starts over 1600 metres on poly-track at Pakenham, Precambrian appeared suited stepping in distance, having finished strongly for fourth over 1900 metres when given two starts in first campaign, and a chance to capitalize on his encouraging record.

Ridden by Celine Gaudray, who had previously won aboard Te Akau horses Sans Doute (Not A Single Doubt) and Savoir Faire (Savabeel) when she was an apprentice, Precambrian steadied rearward from the outside gate (9), which is his style, began rolling early on to be six lengths astern at the 600m, and sustained a swooping run down the outside to reel them in. 

He ran 2:16.5 for 2112 metres, on Good4 footing, and was astutely backed as a $2.20 & $1.20 race favourite.

“It was a really good staying effort, today, having to make a long, sustained, run around the field,” said trainer Mark Walker.

“He’s been a slow maturing son of So You Think and we think he will just keep getting better with time. 

“He’s a horse that we think once we get him to 2400 metres, we’ll see further improvement.”

Precambrian is owned by Te Akau Precambrian Racing Partnership (Mgr: Lady Karyn Ellis MNZM).

Sire So You Think (High Chaparral) was purchased as a yearling by Bart Cummings for $110,000 at the 2008 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, and went on to win 14 races and A$8.8 million in prize money before retiring to stud in Australia.

He set the world alight when winning the 2009 Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) as a three-year-old, as did Savabeel (Zabeel), and returned to win it again in 2010. He then transferred to be trained by Aidan O’Brien, racing in Europe, where he extended his Group One winning record to ten, defeating 75 Group One winners in the process, and retired to stud as the highest rated son of the English Derby winner and noted Derby sire High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells). 

Precambrian is the second winner for Splendido, a three-quarter sister to Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) winner Bonaria (Redoute’s Choice), by Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) winner Stratum (Redoute’s Choice), a Champion Australian 2YO Sire. 

Precambrian carries a Northern Dancer cross in his pedigree, as does So You Think, and through the dam line of Splendido. 

Precambrian was strapped by Rachel Ames.