Well-bred three-year-olds Argenteus and Cadenabbia will be given the chance to earn their way to stakes company after their breakthrough wins at Canterbury.
Blue-Blooded Colts Reign At Canterbury
Two colts who cost $1.7 million between them have broken their maidens in back-to-back races at Canterbury to put themselves on a path to bigger goals.
Redoute’s Choice three-year-old Cadenabbia, the first foal out of Group One winner Griante, got the ball rolling with victory in Wednesday’s opening 1550m event.
An $800,000 yearling purchase, Cadenabbia could be given a taste of stakes company this preparation, although trainer Chris Waller expects him to really blossom in the autumn.
“He has always shown us ability and it was good to get today’s win out of the way,” Waller said.
“We can start plotting towards better races, probably in the autumn, but I think he might get a chance in a Listed race at some stage through this prep as well.”
Waller nominated the Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Flemington during the Cup carnival as a possible goal.
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Argenteus, who fetched $900,000 as a yearling, got a win on the board in the Casino Prince @ Vinery Handicap (1250m).
He competed exclusively in stakes grade as a juvenile and was coming off a luckless second at Kembla Grange when he bombed the start and made his run on the worst part of the track.
Paul Snowden feels Argenteus is still learning and can progress through the grades before eventually earning a recall to black-type level.
“He’s met some good company and performed quite well, he was just a little bit immature but the penny is dropping with him,” Snowden said.
“I believe he can get back to where he started because he’s got a bit of presence about him.”
The two favourites fought the race out with Argenteus bobbing at the right time to beat debutant Private Cheetah by a head with the pair putting 2-1/4 lengths on third placegetter Pretty Good.
Like Snowden, winning jockey Nash Rawiller believes Argenteus has more to offer.
“I think they’re two nice horses that fought it out and I don’t think it will be the last you see of my bloke. He’s got a bit of scope,” Rawiller said.