The best is yet to come from Swiss Ace’s gifted son Cloudland, who impressively added to his record when successful on the Kensington track at Randwick on Friday evening.
The five-year-old won for the fifth time in 11 appearances for trainer Kris Lees when the Gerry Harvey-bred and sold gelding accounted for another promising Westbury Stud graduate in Louisville over 1400 metres.
“He’s only been out of a place twice and had genuine excuses each time,” stable representative Cameron Swan said.
“He is a really progressive horse and we don’t know where his ceiling is. He over-raced a bit early and then settled and put paid to them quite early.”
Cloudland stepped well from the barrier to sit in second spot before he took control of the race at the top of the straight.
He forged clear and stayed on strongly under his 61.5kg rider Dylan Gibbons to defeat Redwood’s son Louisville, who came on well in the straight and looks sure to appreciate more ground at his next appearance.
“When he gets to the front, he waits for them, but he’s a real winner,” Gibbons said.
“He only does what he has to, and he’s got all the ability in the world.”
Cloudland’s victory also drew further attention to his half-sister by Reliable Man who will be offered by Westbury as Lot 665 during the Book 1 session at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
They are out of the stakes performed Congrats mare Commiserate, who is from the family of the Group 2 winners Sarson Trail, Arinosa and Sweet Sherry.
Cloudland was a trial winner on the all-weather track at Cambridge for trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray before he was purchased by OTI Racing.
Trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood went to $240,000 to secure his half-sister by Tarzino, since named Honor Mission, at Karaka earlier this year.