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Headwater sires 12th winner.
Vinery Stud's Headwater (Exceed And Excel) kept his chances of winning Australia's champion first season sire title by number of winners alive on Wednesday when his son Hydro Star (2 c ex Final Star by Delago Brom) landed the Ladbrokes Back Yourself 2YO Handicap (1000m) at Sandown-Hillside and in so doing became winner number 12 for the son of Exceed And Excel (Danehill) which sees him sit one behind long-time leader Spill The Beans (Snitzel).
The John McArdle-trained two-year-old colt - who was making his debut - beat the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained pair Diamondesque (Snitzel) and Miss Bosetti (Snitzel), with the second-place finishing two lengths away, while Miss Bosetti was another quarter of a length away in third.
"A lot of the credit has to go to (jockey) Jamie (Mott)," McArdle told Racing.com.
"The horse was to go to Hong Kong but he pleaded with me to speak to the owners and keep him.
"He's still a big baby and he still didn't do everything right, but when Jamie asked him that's exactly what he's done at home."
A $15,000 purchase by Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm at the 2019 William Inglis Classic Yearling Sale from the Holbrook Thoroughbreds draft, the colt becomes the fourth winner out of Final Star (Delago Brom), who is herself a half-sister to Listed-placed Palace Glow (Palace Music).
Palace Glow herself produced Group 3 winner Red Colossus (Testa Rossa) and Nediym's Glow (General Nediym), while she is also the grandam of Danehill Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) winner Kinglike (Exceed And Excel) and Listed scorer Royal Haunt (Hard Spun).
Final Star's colt by Wandjina (Snitzel) was purchased for $8,000 by J Thoroughbreds at the 2019 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, before making $32,500 on last month's Inglis Digital June Sale, while her weanling by Nicconi (Bianconi) was purchased by BB Thoroughbreds for $8,000 on the Inglis Digital March Sale 2 earlier this year. The mare was covered by Arrowfield Stud-based Showtime (Snitzel) last October.
Headwater's progeny is headed by Group 3 winner Wisdom Of Water and he will stand at Vinery Stud for a fee of $13,750 (inc GST) in 2020.
