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Stormy makes winning debut at Awapuni
Westbury Stud-based first season sire Telperion (Street Cry) got his stud career off to the perfect start, siring his first winner with his first starter when his son Stormy (2 c ex Silent Night by Swiss Ace) landed the Feilding Hotel 2YO Stakes (1000m) at Awapuni on Saturday.
The Tony Pike-trained two-year-old prevailed in a close finish staying on strongly all the way to the line to beat Wakari (Vespa) by a neck, while Stormcase (Iffraaj) was another two lengths further away in third.
“It was a good tough win,” Pike said.
“He’s had just the one barrier trial for a win but that was going right-handed so he did get a bit lost around the home turn.
“He dropped the bit and was caught wide but once he got balanced, he showed good tenacity to get up and win.
“He pricked his ears at the line so there should be plenty more in store.
“We didn’t really know what to expect today but he had taken good improvement out of the trial win he had and his last two gallops were very sharp.”
Pike said the colt could now be aimed at either the Wakefield Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) in December or the Challenge Stakes (Listed, 1200m) at Pukekohe next month.
“He just keeps improving so we might have a look at the Group 2 race at Trentham in December or there is the Challenge Stakes at Pukekohe next month, so there is plenty around for him.”
The colt is out of unraced Swiss Ace (Secret Savings) mare Silent Night and he becomes the first stakes winner in three generations of his family.
Stormy’s third fourth dam is the unraced mare Christmas Spirit (Bletchingly), who produced Group 2 winner Light Up The World (Rory's Jester) - the dam of Group 3 winner World Peace (Danehill), who in turn produced fellow Group 3 winner Chivalry (Street Cry).
Light Up The Word is also the grandam of multiple Group 1 winner Bentley Biscuit (Peintre Celebre) and fellow elite level winner Thorn Park (Spinning World).
Telperion is standing at Westbury Stud for a fee NZ$5,000 (plus GST).