Fairdale Stud stallion Nom Du Jeu (NZ) broke through for his first winner at Sale on Sunday.
The Colin Little trained gelding Millau led into the straight and saw off a strong challenge from runner-up Open All Hours (Wanted) for a long neck success in the Brown Wigg Maiden Plate (1400m).
Millau (3g Nom Du Jeu – Recollection by Zabeel) wasn’t sighted during his first two starts at Geelong and Morphettville but dug deep for a gutsy victory third time out. He was bred by Palmerston North based Fairdale Stud and sold for $80,000 at the 2013 NZB Karaka Premier Sale.
“I fell in love with him at Karaka,” Little recalled. “He’s a strong individual, very well balanced with a fantastic temperament. I had looked at over 500 yearlings he kept drawing me back.
“I actually only had $40,000 budgeted but in the heat of the battle I kept going as I really wanted him.”
Little trains him for a syndicate that includes Sean Carroll, Brad Castricum, Garry Cranny, Doug Edwards, Ron Halse, Sean Hammond, David Horsburgh, Jeff Krake, Ken Newman, Dennis Nicol and David O’Brien.
Nom Du Jeu was a Group 1 winner of the 2008 AJC Derby. A son of Montjeu, he covered a big book first-up at Fairdale Stud in 2010 and among his mares was Recollection who won a Taupo maiden over 1950m for Fairdale’s Fell family. She is a sister to LR Marton Cup winner Etoile Du Nord.
“He’s taken a while to sire that first winner but he’s like those old-fashioned NZ staying sires,” Gerald Fell explained on Monday. “They’re strong physical types and all they need is a bit of time.”