Tony Noonan’s western satellite celebrated the New Year in style when Split The Faith did best in a blanket finish at Bunbury on Sunday.

Split The Faith (3f Keep The Faith – Split Rock by Danehill) won the Bank Of Queensland Maiden (1100m) on debut over Angel Wing (Hurricane Sky) and I’m A Natural (Natural Blitz).

Noonan opened an Ascot stable prior to his star mare Ortensia winning the 2010 Winterbottom Stakes.  “I have to thank my Perth foreman Nick Cox and his team for a tremendous job with Split The Faith,” Noonan said.  “She had some issues as an early two year old so we gave her time and she’s come back a sound filly.

“She has always given us the impression she will get over a bit more ground and I think she will probably be better placed at Belmont over the winter months.”

Split The Faith is by Swettenham Stud sire Keep The Faith and she descends from Swettenham’s G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Midnight Fever (Luskin Star).

De Grey Stud’s Dick Vincent bought her dam Split Rock for $75,000 from Swettenham at the 2008 Inglis Easter Broodmare Sale.

Vincent kept the Bunbury winner after she failed to reach a $30,000 reserve at the 2010 Perth Magic Millions.  He races her in partnership with Noonan and Neven Botica.

Keep The Faith has 7 yearlings catalogued for the 2012 Adelaide Magic Millions starting with the colt from Royal Jama (Lot 48).  He is being sold as part of the Swettenham draft as agent for Greta West Stud.  

The colt is a brother to promising Morphettville winner Fear The Faith and brilliant last-start Balaklava winner Unfaithfully.

De Grey Stud has yearlings by Danehill Express (2), Oratorio (2) and Flying Pegasus (2) catalogued for the 2012 Perth Magic Millions.  Vincent sold Group 1 winner Barely A Moment to David Hayes for $58,000 at the 2003 Perth Magic Millions.