Emirates Park freshman Al Samer was represented by his first winner when Custom Design scored by a length in the Australian Training & Consulting 2YO Plate at Tamworth on Monday. She clocked 59.01s for 1000 metres.
Custom Design (2f Al Samer – Amalee by Bletchingly) was racing second-up for trainer Paul St Vincent and she was ridden to victory by veteran jockey Robert Thompson who carried the pale blue and orange colours of Emirates Park director of finance Rajesh Upadhyaya.
Custom Design was bred by Emirates Park and sold as a foal for $14,000 at the 2008 Inglis Australian Select Weanling Sale. She is from New Zealand-bred mare Amalee and hails from the celebrated Group 1 winning family of Diamond Shower (VRC Oaks) and Hartshill (STC Golden Slipper).
Al Samer is the latest sire-son of Redoute’s Choice to be represented in the winner’s enclosure. He was a stakes winner of the Canberra Black Opal (G3) at two and the STC Darby Munro Stakes (LR) at three.
Al Samer stands for an $11,000 at Emirates Park’s Victorian base at Diggers Rest. He has 7 yearlings entered for the 2010 Inglis Melbourne Premier yearling sale starting on March 2 at Oaklands Junction.