Elite Beau as a yearling
A new state, new partnership, new trainer, new winner. Elite Beau kicked off a sequence of firsts when scoring impressively on debut for China Horse Club/Grant Williams/Yarradale Stud and partners at Ascot in Western Australia.
The colt, sourced in partnership with Williams Racing and Suman Hedge Bloodstock, is the first to carry the Club’s well known red and yellow silks in Western Australia and the first to compete under the direction of leading training duo Grant and Alana Williams.
““Elite Beau has handled the big occasion and hot pace of the race well and looked really professional on debut coming home in under 34 seconds for his final 600m,” said China Horse Club’s Mike Smith.
“It is an exceptional training effort from Grant and Alana to have Elite Beau ready to win on debut in town off one trial. It augurs well for his progression.
“Credit too to Willie Pike. Our plan was always to try and ensure Elite Beau learnt some of the finer points of racing in this event and Willie gave him a perfect ride to that end. He jumped, settled well, move around rivals and showed a kick to run through the line. The future looks exciting for Elite Beau.”
Elite Beau won’t be rushed unfairly but his emergence is timely with the AUD500,000 G2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) and AUD200,000 G3 W.A. Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) run in late April and May respectively if he can continue to progress as hoped. Should he come through the race well he may target the Listed Perth Stakes later this month.
Champion Western Australian jockey Willie Pike was complementary of the colt post-race, saying: “He’s done that on raw, natural ability, he was just too good for them. He has gears. In the run he was a little stop start, but when I said ‘go’ he was just there for me. I was really happy [with that performance].”