Talented middle distance performer Immediacy headlined a winning Saturday treble for Westbury Stud stallion Tarzino.
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained four-year-old was successful for the fifth time in 12 appearances when he dominated a competitive line-up over 2000 metres at Caulfield.
His victory followed Star Ballot’s success at Riccarton while young prospect Eau De Cologne struck the first winning blow of his fledgling career at Donald.
Last season’s G2 Autumn Classic winner Immediacy will now bid to add to his resume during the Queensland winter carnival.
“He’s come back bigger and stronger following a good break, he’s furnished into a really nice horse,” Young said.
“We’ll carry on now to the Chairman’s (G3, 2000m) and the Brisbane Cup (G2, 3200m).”
Immediacy had been a second-up winner over 2000 metres at Mornington at his previous appearance and had no trouble at Caulfield of making it two on the bounce over the same distance.
He bowled along in the one-one for jockey Blake Shinn to the home bend and drew clear in the run to the post.
“We had a lovely run and it takes him 200 metres to really wind up and once he hits top gear, he can maintain it. He’s a really talented horse,” Shinn said.
Immediacy is out of the Irish-bred Pivotal mare But Beautiful and is a half-brother to the two-time stakes winner Bella Waters.
He was secured by Busuttin and Group 1 Racing for $200,000 when offered by Riverrrock Farm at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale.
Star Ballot displayed his versatility as he had claimed the 2024 edition of the Founders Cup over 2600 metres on the turf and this time he defended his title on the synthetic track over 2200 metres.
“He had won the polytrack before and he had been ging nice races on tracks that haven’t suited him and I thought he was the best of ours,” co-trainer Matthew Pitman said.
The Gerry Harvey-bred Star Ballot lobbed along near the back of the small field before rider Kavish Chowdhoory urged him forward 800 metres from home and they bolted clear to win by seven lengths.
He is a son of the More Than Ready mare Cast Your Vote, who produced a Redwood filly last season, and her dam Confer didn’t win but posted six black-type placings including a third in the G1 Flight Stakes.
Meanwhile, weight of expectation didn’t faze Eau De Cologne who was sent out a short-priced favourite over 1620 metres and delivered in style over 1600 metres at Donald.
The Archie Alexadner-trained representative went out to a long lead under Will Gordon and held a strong gallop to the post to break his maiden at his third appearance.
Bred by Harvey, Eau De Cologne was offered by Westbury at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale here he was knocked down to Alexander and Rogers Bloodstock for A$260,000.
He is the third winner for his dam, the late Redoute’s Choice mare Eau De Parfum who is a half-brother to the G2 Queensland Guineas and G3 Hawkesbury Guineas winner Sambro.