Like Mother, Like Son

The Informant reports:

Eight years after Legs won the Gr. 1 Kelt Capital Stakes, her son Wolfwhistle turned up at Hastings to mark the anniversary with a stylish win in Saturday's Trinity Hill Handicap.

The Kelt was one of two Group One wins for Legs, coming seven months after her New Zealand Oaks victory. Wolfwhistle (purchased by David Ellis) has some way to go to match that record, but the way he managed his middle-distance debut today suggested he does have a decent win in him.

A year ago high hopes were held that he would measure up to the best three-year-olds, but after finishing sixth in the Hawkes Bay Guineas connections came to the conclusion that he required an operation to address a wind affliction.

“He was a grade five and basically wasn't getting any air,” trainer Jason Bridgman recalled after Wolfwhistle had come off a solid pace to take Saturday's 2000-metre contest. “It says a lot for his ability that he was still able to be that competitive, but we really had no option but to operate.”

One operation that Wolfwhistle wasn't subjected to was to his manhood, but the now four-year-old entire is one of the most laid-back of Te Akau stable members. He returned to racing last autumn and won the third of three starts and his latest win was just his second this campaign.

“He's a lovely horse and it's very satisfying to see him back in form,” added Bridgman. “He's still got a way to go but I'm sure when we can find the right races and work him through the grades.”

Wolfwhistle's win was part of a headline day for his breeders Waikato Stud, and more importantly for the sires standing there. Dominant champion O'Reilly was also the sire of the previous race's impressive winner, Ryan Mark, while Costume and Soriano, daughters of associate sire Savabeel, finished first and third in the Gr. 1 Livamol Classic.

Not to be outdone, Pins notched another black-type win through his son Antonio Lombardo in the Gr. 3 Linwood Park Spring Sprint and the coup de grace for the day was the Gr. 1 Turnbull Stakes victory at Flemington by Savabeel mare Lucia Valentina.