Dr Edmund Bateman has been a big player at the Inglis Easter yearling sale in recent years and his two big 2010 purchases Satin Shoes and Foxwedge returned to racing with a bang on Saturday.
Foxwedge (3c Fastnet Rock – Forest Native by Forest Wildcat) led home an Inglis Easter quinella when he repelled the fast finishing Anise (General Nediym) in the G3 San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill.
The John O’Shea trained colt sat behind the speed and had the race in his keeping a long way from home. It was his first win at stakes level and O’Shea tipped more to come. “He travelled beautifully and let down well. He’s still green and wobbled around a bit but it was a nice start to his preparation.”
Foxwedge was racing for the first time since pulling up sore in the Golden Slipper. His immediate goal is the G1 Golden Rose on September 10.
“He was the horse I most wanted out of the Easter Sale last year,” O’Shea said. “We approached Dr Bateman and he had to bid $925,000 to get him.”
Foxwedge was part of the Luskin Park consignment and his USA bred dam was stakes placed at Santa Anita
Satin Shoes was also among the nation’s best juveniles in 2010-11 and she was back in harness with a Listed victory in the Quezette Stakes at Caulfield.
Satin Shoes (3f Flying Spur – Star Satire by Volksraad) won on debut at Randwick last October and added the LR Widden Stakes and G2 Silver Slipper in the autumn. She was beaten five lengths in the Golden Slipper by Sepoy.
Trainer Clarrie Connors admitted he will actively avoid Sepoy this time in. “She’s a very gross filly and is still on the improve. We will go from here to the McNeil Stakes at Caulfield in a fortnight.”
The Flying Spur filly cost Bateman $700,000 from leading Scone nursery Cressfield. She is a half-sister to New Zealand G2 winner Zarzuela (Zabeel).
Both Foxwedge and Satin Shoes were picked out of the Inglis Sale by James Harron under the De Burgh Equine banner.