Beadman
Feature events await two budding talents in different hemispheres after Beadman and Gunship make their respective marks in China Horse Club’s red and yellow silks.
Beadman, named after the Australian Hall of Fame jockey Darren Beadman, spreadeagled his rivals by more than eight lengths in a jaw-dropping display in the AUD200,000 G3 Ken Russell Memorial Stakes (1200m) at the Gold Coast.
Hours later, Gunship posted his second win in only four career starts and is expected to bypass his entry in the G1 Irish Derby for a tilt at Royal Ascot next month.
However, it was the manner of Beadman’s win, which franked long held opinions of the colt, that dominated racing industry discussions. That result immediately saw him shortened into equal favouritism for the G1 JJ Atkins Stakes, the final G1 for juveniles in Australia, however Beadman will immediately be spelled with the spring’s stallion making AUD2,000,000 G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes in his crosshairs.
“After further discussion we have decided to put Beadman in the paddock now with a view of targeting the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes in the spring,” explained China Horse Club’s Mike Smith.
“James [McDonald] feels he’s a real speed horse and that he could be a live contender in race like The Coolmore if we continue to develop him.
“He’s come a long way in a short time and going to the paddock now gives [Beadman] his best chance to be fresh for the spring.
“He is certainly an exciting horse going forward and I think, with the benefit of this first racing preparation under Beadman’s belt and a break to let it sink in, he can take another step forward.”
Gunship scores again
James Ferguson, trainer of Gunship, continues to be please by the progress his charge is making and sees a bright future ahead. A more stamina equipped model than his half-brother, the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas winner Phoenix of Spain, Gunship undoubtedly has his share of ability as well.
“We’ve always thought a lot of Gunship and things just haven’t gone his way, but he’s still improving,” Ferguson told Racing Post.
“He could step up in trip if we want him to, but I think he’s pretty versatile as he showed he has a turn of foot. [Gunship] hasn’t learned the game yet. He doesn’t always travel the strongest but as soon as the penny dropped, Danny could give him a breather and he saw it out well.
“We’ll wait to see what the handicapper does. In an ideal world you’d go for an Ascot handicap and there’s plenty of time before that, so if we wanted to run at York at the end of the month we could do that too. It’s a long season, but if we can get into Ascot we’ll go there with a fighting chance.”
Splitting the two winners was the increasingly reliable Depth of Character who backed up his win in the G2 Queensland Guineas seven days ago with a determined second in the AUD500,000 The Coast at Gosford. Those successive results have lifted his career earnings to almost AUD660,000, further franking the credentials of his dam, the China Horse Club owned Caricature, who has a Russian Revolution colt at foot and is in foal to Zoustar again.