3 minute read

Waterhouse and Bott-trained Converge scores at Warwick Farm

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Converge (2 g ex Conversely by Shamardal) made a winning debut over 1200 metres at Warwick Farm on Tuesday, to hand Juddmonte Farms-based Frankel (Galileo) his third two-year-old winner in Australia. 

The two-year-old gelding showed a good attitude to beat Jessica Rabbit - who is by Kitchwin Hills first-season sire Sooboog (Snitzel) by a neck, while Coastwatch (Fastnet Rock) was another quarter of a length away in third. 

”That was great for Evergreen, being a Frankel homebred,” stable representative Neil Paine said. “He showed some heart from the furlong. Once Tim got into him, he showed heart and fought all the way to the line.

“He gave every indication to Gai and Adrian that he was ready to go.

“Gai and Adrian are up in the Hunter Valley looking at yearlings, but they will be thrilled.”

Converge is out of placed Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway) mare Conversely, who is herself a Grade 3 winner Melhor Ainda (Tapit), who is herself a half-sister to Listed winner Danon Go Go (Aldebaran) and the dam of fellow stakes winner New York Groove (Verrazano). 

Further afield this is the same family as three-time Grade 1 scorer Potridee (Potrillazo) and dual Grade 1 scorer Touareg (Easing Along). 

Conversely’s colt by Coolmore Stud shuttler Churchill (Galileo) was purchased by Raphe Bloodstock for $28,000 at the Inglis Sydney Weanling Sale earlier this year, while this season she produced a colt by Invader (Snitzel) and she has most recently been covered by Aquis Farm-based sire Divine Prophet (Choisir). 

Frankel’s 20 Australian winners are headed by five stakes scorers, headed by Group 1 winner Mirage Dancer, while he is also the sire of juvenile Group 2 winner Hungry Heart.