Greta West studmaster Laurie McCarthy latched on to a winning cross when he booked Royal Academy mare Royal Jama to Keep The Faith in 2006.
Their first mating at Swettenham Stud produced brilliant filly Unfaithfully and for an encore they came up with last Saturday’s Morphettville winner Fear The Faith.
Fear The Faith led from barrier to box when racing first-up in the Adelaide Galvanising Hcp (1250m). The lightly raced gelding had won on debut at Balaklava in June and appears to have a very bright future.
Prepared by Bill Bogarts for owner Ken Fowler, he was a $52,000 buy at the 2010 Adelaide Magic Millions. “He was gelded a month before his first start but recovered quickly,” Bogarts recalled. “We gave him another break and he’s really filled out around the hindquarters.”
Unfaithfully is untapped but she has been hampered by a recurring leg injury. The filly cost managing part-owner Frank Pergoleto $56,000 at the 2009 Adelaide Magic Millions and she looked an early winner after blitzing a barrier trial by six lengths.
Sent out favourite for the LR Pewsey Vale Stakes at Morphettville last year, she travelled well but lost her action and was eased up by Simon Price. Trainer Mark Kavanagh was prepared to give her time and the filly didn’t get going again until she resumed to win at Balaklava in August.
Like Fear The Faith, she jumped straight to the front and skipped away in the straight to score by three lengths in the Ross Braley Maiden Plate (1055m).
McCarthy has a cracking Keep The Faith brother to Unfaithfully and Fear The Faith among Greta West’s draft for the 2012 Adelaide Magic Millions.
Keep The Faith (Sunday Silence) stands at Swettenham Stud for a $7,000 service fee.