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Wild Wind is yet to live up to his impeccable breeding or the yearling sale price tag that comes with racing's bluebloods, but new trainer Donna Grisedale is expecting a positive start with the three-year-old at Coffs Harbour today where he is the $2.90 TAB favourite.
Wild Wind is running in the Coffs Asphalt Showcase Maiden Handicap (800m) where he drew barrier 10: "He's an on-pace runner who should settle just behind the pace."
Wild Wind is one of the best-bred three-year-olds going around anywhere in Australia over the next few days.
Hawkes Racing paid $600,000 for the son of champion stallion I Am Invincible at the 2019 Australian Easter Yearling Sale. His dam, the Hussonet mare Your Life Style, is an unraced three-quarter sister to The Broken Shore, the dam of Shoals. Your Life Style's dam Monsoon Wedding (by Danehill) is a full-sister to Redoute's Choice.
Wild Wind had six starts for the Hawkes team, his best result came three starts back on December 11 when he finished a 2.4-length third to La Foret in a 3YO Maiden (1100m) at Canterbury. Grisedale purchased Wild Wind for $25,000 at an Inglis Online Sale last month and is delighted with the way he's settled in at her stable over the past few weeks.
"I spoke to Michael Hawkes before I bought him and he said he was just a lovely, good-natured horse but obviously just wasn't good enough for the Hawkes stable," said Grisedale.
"But I'm delighted to have picked him up for $25,000. There probably haven't been too many $600,000 yearlings line up in a Maiden at Coffs Harbour and hopefully, he can now start to pay his way.
"Obviously, coming from a top stable like the Hawkes team, he's a really well-educated young horse who arrived in great order. He's lightly raced and probably still has a bit more maturing to do, so hopefully, he can develop a bit more from here.
"He's settled in beautifully up here. We've given him a little freshen-up and he won a recent jumpout."
Meanwhile, the regally-bred Best Ever set to resume for his new trainer Matt Dunn in the Class 1 Hcp over 1000m at Ballina on Monday. Best Ever is a three-year-old son of Snitzel out of John Singleton's former champion mare More Joyous, an eight-time Group One winner. Best Ever is the mare's third foal and did his earlier racing in Victoria with Peter Moody.
Best Ever comes from a distinguished family. More Joyous is a daughter of Group One-winning mare Sunday Joy (by Sunday Silence), who was a daughter of another Group One-winning mare Joie Denise (by Danehill).
Best Ever won on debut over 1400m at Pakenham on August 20 last year and was spelled after finishing last of 14 behind Flash Flood in a 3YO Hcp (1500m) at Moonee Valley on September 5 when he pulled up lame. Best Ever was purchased by Darby Bloodstock for $50,000 at the Inglis Online Sale last November.
The colt geared up for his return to racing with a close second to Rumberella in 1010m barrier trial at Murwillumbah on January 31 when not pushed out to the line.
Lismore gelding Lucap will have a few factors in his favour when he tackles Monday's Benchmark 58 Hcp over 1250m at Ballina. Trained by Danny Bowen, Lucap has always produced his best at Ballina, winning there four times, has won twice at the track and distance, needs softer conditions to do his best and is also dropping back to a Benchmark 58.
Grafton galloper Hyperion Star ($81 on TAB), who looked one of Lucap's main rivals in Monday's race, has clinched a berth in today's $150,000 NRRA Country Championships Qualifier (1400m) at Coffs Harbour after scratchings.
