Mahrez makes winning debut

[Wandering Eyes]

Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr produced a progressive middle-distance type when Mahrez (NZ) (Iffraaj) made a winning debut at Geelong on Wednesday over 1443m.

The son of Iffraaj had put the writing on the wall when second in his only trial and impressed winning rider John Allen despite doing a few things wrong.

“He sat midfield and they didn’t go very quick for the first couple of furlongs. He was a little bit keen and new but once the tempo picked up from the 1000m he stelled into a nice rhythm and I felt I was still going well on the corner. He pulled out plenty when I asked him,” Allen said.

“He was having a bit of a look when he hit the front and he is still a little raw, but he was doing enough to hold off the rest of them.

“They kicked him off over 1443m with a view that he is a horse that is going to want to get over a trip in time. He feels that way and he might have to learn to relax a little bit better, but the experience today will teach him a lot.”

Mahrez, who is raced by Roll The Dice Racing, is yet another graduate of the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, the most successful two-year-old sale in the Southern Hemisphere.

Bred by B F Bloodstock and Haunui Bloodstock, the son of Iffraaj is out of Hi Gorgeous, a Savabeel daughter of Group One winner Calveen. He was purchased for $110,000 at last year’s Ready To Run Sale by John Foote Bloodstock from the draft of Lilywhites Lodge.

A day earlier another Sale graduate, the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young trained Commander Harry (NZ) (Reliable Man), broke maiden ranks at Kilmore.

The three-year-old son of Reliable Man will be tried over ground to test his Derby credentials and was a $50,000 purchase from the Ready To Run Sale from the draft of Kilmore Farm.

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