16 Oct 2021Our graduate Gunstock did a terrific job this afternoon to claim top honours in the G3 Caulfield Classic and now looms as a strong G1 Victoria Derby hope.
The son of Tavistock has impressed trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr as a top staying prospect and the way he ran out 2000 metres at Caulfield suggests the Classic trip of 2500 metres will be ideal.
“He needs further and a big track. He had the blinkers on today and didn’t overdo it, which was good,” Kent Jnr said.
“I have always liked this horse, he’s a beautiful colt and now on to the Derby.”
The addition of the headgear worked wonders and Gunstock finished off strongly to win for the second time in his four-start career.
“It was the right time, he’s going to be going up to 2500 metres in the Derby so we wanted to see if they worked or not and they do work with this breed,” Kent Jnr said.
“He is a very laid-back customer and he was almost asleep in the yard. He’s got a huge stride and I really think Flemington will be his go.”
Gunstock was sold by us at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale to Ohukia Lodge for $80,000 and he then made $135,000 when purchased by Import Racing at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale.
He is a son of the Zabeel mare Zeranti, who is in foal to Belardo, and is from the family of the multiple Group 1 winner Sea Siren.
Zeranti will visit our Royal Ascot winning sprinter Hello Youmzain this season.