Beatty was back to his brilliant best for his final test of the season in the G3 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) on Saturday.
The Gingerbread Man colt added a winning touch to a WA juvenile season dominated by his owner-breeder Wally Daly. He is Champion 2YO material in Daly’s Hot Pink & Royal Blue Checked colours and he shares them with the State’s Top 2YO Filly Maria Lucia (Rommel).
Beatty (2c Gingerbread Man – Femmette by Murtajill) greeted the judge on debut at Ascot in November before signing off in style in the Crystal Slipper Slipper. He resumed to complete an unbeaten hat-trick in the LR Perth Stakes (1200m) only to be denied a proper shot in the G2 Karrakatta Plate.
Normally a straightforward colt, he melted in the gates before the grand-final when stewards reported; ‘He bounded on jumping losing two lengths’. Left well off the pace, he accelerated when asked by Willie Pike and flew home to beaten three-quarters of a length by Afireofgidgeecoals (Too Darn Hot).
“Things didn’t go to plan in the Karrakatta so it’s good to see a redeeming win over 1400m today,” Jake Casey said. “Willie peeled off heels and let him down like a WA Guineas chance in the spring. He’s muscled up and filled-out into a real physical.”
It was a command performance turning the tables on Afireofgidgeecoals and Pike was relieved when he bounced out on terms and went with a good gallop. “He was completely different today,” The Wiz said. “He gave me some grief in the gates before they jumped in the Karrakatta. He had a bee in his bonnet that day and it was like a wrestling match.”
His Yarradale Stud-based stallion Gingerbread Man (Shamardal) is locked in a tight fight with Rommel (Commands) for the 2025-26 WA 2YO Sires’ premiership. Rommel holds sway into the final quarter of the season by just $14k
Beatty is from one of Daly’s better families and his dam Femmette has an August-foaled colt by Gingerbread Man who remains one of Daly’s favourite sires. The Murtajill mare was an Ascot juvenile winner and second-dam Refemme (Surtee) won the LR Gimcrack Stakes (1100m) at Ascot in 2004.