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Maurice's Medad gets off the mark at Hawkesbury

Former Arrowfield Stud shuttler Maurice (Screen Hero) sired his fourth Australian-bred first-crop winner when the Bjorn Baker-trained Maurice’s Medad (2 c ex Presslist by Librettist) broke his maiden on the fifth attempt over 1400 metres at Hawkesbury on Monday.

The colt was the only two-year-old in the eight-horse field and he kept up a strong gallop in the straight to defeat Toostar (All Too Hard) by a length and a half, while Kahuka (Lord Kanaloa) was a further two and a half lengths away in third.

Purchased by his trainer and James Clarke Bloodstock for $250,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the Vinery Stud draft, Maurice’s Medad is one of three winners from as many foals to race out of Presslist (Librettist), who is herself a half-sister to Group 1 winner and now Vinery Stud second season sire Press Statement (Hinchinbrook) and fellow Group 1 winner Pressday (Domesday). 

Further back this is also the same family as fellow elite level winner The Mighty Lions (Grosvenor) and Group 3 scorer Vaquera (High Chaparral).

In 2019 Presslist produced a brother to Maurice’s Medad, before foaling a colt by Vinery Stud’s All Too Hard (Casino Prince) the following season and she was most recently covered by the same stallion last spring. 

Maurice is the sire of 57 winners in total headed by three stakes winners in his native Japan; Grade 2 scorer Shigeru Pink Ruby and Grade 3-winning pair Rooks Nest and Pixie Knight. 

The Shadai Stallion Station-based Maurice stood at Arrowfield Stud for three seasons, but due to coronavirus the son of Screen Hero (Grass Wonder) did not return to the Hunter Valley stud last season and he has four lots catalogued at the upcoming Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, which gets underway in Sydney on Tuesday.