Merlo Downs resident El Nino (USA) sired his first winner on Friday evening when Senor Rain won a Del Mar maiden by three lengths over 1200m.

Senor Rain (2r El Nino – Make My Marq by Marquetry) travelled three-wide outside Yankee Dan and Thief River before finding the fence in the straight.  He cruised clear under Garrett Gomez to clock 1.10.29s for 1200m.

The winner is trained by Peter Miller for Gary and Cecil Barber and cost $38,000 at the Barretts 2YO Sale in April.

Senor Rain is a younger half-brother to Come On Donna (The Daddy) who has won three races up to 1300m this year.  Their dam Make My Marq is an unraced daughter of former Vinery shuttler Marquetry.

El Nino (Storm Cat) won three sprints in Kentucky and was also G2 placed in the Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga.  His dam Bay Harbor is a half-sister to G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Boston Harbor (Capote) who was sold to stand at the Shizunai Stallion Station in Hokkaido.

El Nino arrived in Queensland in June after standing three seasons in Indiana.  He was based at Swifty Farms which is just 100km north of Louisville, Kentucky.

The Storm Cat sire joined the Merlo Downs roster alongside Changeintheweather  (Gone West) and Savabeel’s half-brother Garrison Savannah (Danehill).