Depth of Character wins G2 Queensland Guineas
In turning the AUD350,000 G2 Queensland Guineas into a one act affair, Depth of Character kickstarted a weekend of notable results for the China Horse Club’s breeding and racing arms internationally.
The talented three-year-old, raised and sold by The Chase on behalf of China Horse Club’s Australian breeding arm, lifted his career earnings to more than AUD565,000 from only 12 career starts with his second stakes success and may be given his chance to return to G1 company again before his current campaign is out.
“I was a bit worried Depth of Character was travelling too well but once Noel [jockey Noel Callow] peeled him out at the top of the straight it was just a matter of holding him together and pressing the button at the right time,” said co-trainer Anabel Archibald.
“We’ll see where we go to now. There’s no real mile races. It is whether you go up or down [in distance]. I’m not sure you go up.”
A plan to return to G1 company may also await for Saudi Crown, a graduate of China Horse Club’s American breeding arm, after he fended off last year’s Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan to land the USD200,000 Lake Ouachita Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
The fast-running grey made his mark at as three-year-old winning the G1 2023 Pennsylvania Derby then framed his qualities when a close third in the 2024 USD20 million G1 Saudi Cup as a four-year-old. The Lake Ouachita Stakes, the seventh win of his career, elevated his career earnings to almost USD3.5 million.
Saudi Crown’s performance was naturally overshadowed by the running of the 2025 Kentucky Derby, an event which rolled on without WinStar Farm and China Horse Club’s Tappan Street after injury in his final gallop before the big event. However, Tappan Street’s undoubted credentials were further franked despite his absence when Sovereignty, who had finished second to him in the G1 Florida Derby, saluted for Godolphin.
Some solace from the Kentucky Derby setback was provided when Patch Adams returned to the winner’s circle on the programmes undercard. The colt, also owned in partnership with WinStar Farm, exploded away from rivals down Churchill Down’s famous straight to win as he liked. The final margin wasn’t as emphatic as the near course record setting maiden win he posted in November last year, but it didn’t need to be to demonstrate his dominance.
“It was great to see Patch get back to winning form. The cut back in distance did the trick,” said Christie DeBernardis, China Horse Club’s Representative for the Americas.
“Patch Adam’s jumped away alertly and put up pretty swift fractures under pressure. He was confronted by a nice colt in the straight, who didn’t let him have it easy and he fought off that foe for a solid score and 96 Beyer Speed Figure.”