The NZ Bloodstock 2YO Ready to Run Sale produced another impressive stakes winner on Wednesday when Enjin Number Nine defeated Group 1 winning colt Star Witness in the Listed Manfred Stakes (1300m) at Sandown.

Enjin Number Nine (3g Zenno Rob Roy – Sal by I Conquer) was a $36,000 buy out of the Running Horse Lodge draft at the 2009 NZB 2YO Sale at Karaka.  He won on debut at Ballarat in September and resumed with a Geelong win last month before coming to town this week.

Flemington trainers Mat Ellerton and Simon Zahra would have been impressed when the NZ bred gelding powered home in a performance that has made him one of the favourites for the G1 Australian Guineas on February 26.

TAB Sportbet promoted him to the fourth line of betting for the Australian Guineas last night.  Star Witness remains the favourite at $8 ahead of Anacheeva ($10) and We Can Say It Now ($10) while Enjin Number Nine and Pressday are next best at $14.

“He’s still six months away from his best but he’s a gelding so we’ll keep going towards the Australian Guineas,” Ellerton said.  “He still gets his head up and climbs a bit but when he gets it all together he’s going to be a serious horse.”

Enjin Number Nine is by Shadai Stud sire Zenno Rob Roy who shuttled to New Zealand in 2006.  He served a sole season at Java Lodge and was booked to fly to the Matamata stud again in 2007 but was stranded at Melbourne’s quarantine station due to the E.I. crisis.  

He stood that season at Independent Stallions in Victoria and covered 33 mares at short notice.

Zenno Rob Roy (Sunday Silence) was Japan’s 2004 Horse of the Year after completing a hat-trick of Group 1 wins in the Tenno Sho (2000m), Japan Cup (2400m) and Arima Kinen (2500m).  He defeated 2006 Melbourne Cup winner Delta Blues in the Japan Cup.  

Enjin Number Nine is the first foal of Trentham winner Sal (I Conquer).  The mare has a 2YO filly by Towkay but the NZ Stud Book has no updated records for her in the last three years.