Swettenham Stud will sell its first Equiano yearlings at the Gold Coast Magic Millions and the first to parade received a significant update when Trust In A Gust bolted in at Bendigo on Thursday.

Swettenham Stud has catalogued his Equiano half-brother as Lot 114 during Day 1 of the Magic Millions on January 8.

Trust In A Gust (3c Keep The Faith – Subtle Breeze by Storm Cat) was always travelling like a winner in the Christmas Family Day Hcp (1300m).  The victory made amends for the colt’s unruly display at the Flemington cup carnival when he dumped Luke Nolan and was a last-minute scratching from the LR Hilton Hotels Stakes.

Swettenham Stud sold Trust In A Gust for $45,000 at the 2012 Inglis Melbourne Premier yearling sale and there are more updates ahead.  “I rode him like he was the best horse in the race,” jockey Brad Rawiller said.  “He’s a class colt but is still a bit of a lad so I had to let him know who was on top.”

Trainer Darren Weir has a big opinion of Trust In A Gust and will nominate him for the Ballarat Cup meeting on Sunday week, November 24.

Trust In A Gust and his Equiano half-brother are from USA bred mare Subtle Breeze.  She is a three-quarter sister to Balanchine (Storm Bird) who won the 1994 English Oaks and Irish Derby for Sheikh Mohammed.

Swettenham owner Adam Sangster imported Subtle Breeze to Australia in 2007.  Her first foal Seachantach (Elusive Quality) has won races in Ireland (3) and Dubai.  The mare’s latest is a Master Of Design colt born in September.

Equiano (Acclamation) was a dual Group 1 winner of the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.  His Gold Coast Magic Millions consignment also includes the first foal of a half-sister to G1 winner Stepitup (Lot 448) and a half-brother to Adelaide stakes winner Tropic Thunder (Lot 582).

– Karl Patterson