Williams jumps at chance to stay involved

[Wandering Eyes]

Little Avondale Stud’s Sam Williams didn’t need to be asked twice to remain in the ownership group of rising three-year-old star Evaporate.

Williams snapped up the opportunity after the homebred son of resident sire Per Incanto was sold through Sledmere Stud’s draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for A$330,000.

Secured by Lindsay Park, the Ben, JD and Will Hayes-trained Evaporate posted his fourth consecutive victory when he trumped his rivals in Friday evening’s Gr.2 Stutt Stakes (1600m) at The Valley.

“He was a cracking type and the Hayes boys bought him and afterwards asked me if I’d be keen to keep a share,” Williams said.

“I was really hot on that because of Belluci Babe and Sound Lover was a Blue Hen mare for us.

“She was our pride and joy here at the stud and I kept every daughter out of Sound Lover and was dead set keen to stay in him.”

Evaporate is out of the Animal Kingdom mare Savanna, a half-sister to Per Incanto’s daughter Belluci Babe who won six races including the Gr.3 Wenona Handicap (1200m) and they are granddaughters of Sound Lover.

She won the Gr.3 Ladies Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie and produced stakes winners Philosophe, Magnum, Men At Work and Sir Lovesalot and the dam of Listed winer Pure Incanto.

“Evaporate was unlucky as a two-year-old in the Sires’ Produce (Gr.2, 1400m) with the draw and the run he got and, since he’s been gelded, he has grown into his frame and really putting it altogether,” Williams said.

The Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) prospect’s dam Savanna was counted out as a racing proposition by a leg issue before making her mark at stud.

“She was a bit offset in one knee and she’s a big mare with the deepest girth,” Williams said.

“She had a bit of muscle soreness through the neck and shoulder during her time with Andrew Forsman and he said I don’t know if we can get her to the track.

“I said that’s fine, we’ll retire her and we sold her Bivouac filly to Jim Bruford at Karaka this year for $100,000, so she’ll get every chance, and she’s under service to Per Incanto.”

The outstanding sire son of Street Cry has proved to have a potent affinity with Savanna’s family.

“It’s produced Magnum, who raced in Singapore and came back here and was a multiple stakes winner, Pure Incanto won the Listed sprint at Hastings, Belluci Babe and now Evaporate,” Williams said. “Belluci Babe has a Zoustar colt who will go to Sydney Easter, he’s a really nice horse, and she’s got a stunning Russian Revolution colt at foot and she’s off to Proisir.”

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