The NZ Bloodstock 2YO Ready to Run Sale produced another impressive winner at Bendigo on Sunday when Enjin Number Nine showed a nice turn of foot to score a 1.5 length victory in the Pura Milk Maiden Plate (1000m). He burst to the front in the straight and surged clear to win running away.
Flemington trainers Mat Ellerton and Simon Zahra can now look ahead for better races with Enjin Number Nine who was facing the starter for the first time. He was a $36,000 buy out of the Running Horse Lodge draft at the NZ Bloodstock 2YO Sale at Karaka last November.
“He’s shown ability ever since I started riding him at home,” winning jockey Andrew Mallyon said. “He’s only going to get getter racing over more ground than 1000 metres.”
Enjin Number Nine is by Shadai Stud sire Zenno Rob Roy who shuttled to New Zealand in 2006. His first and only season at Java Lodge coincided with Japan’s domination of that year’s Melbourne Cup by Delta Blues and Pop Rock.
Zenno Rob Roy 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. Victorian studmaster Mike Becker came to the rescue and the horse was re-routed to Independent Stallions where he 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 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.