12 Oct 2022Tavistock’s son Gunstock gave a bold preview of what may be to come from him this preparation when he toyed with his rivals in the G3 Coongy Cup at Caulfield.
Our home-bred was sent out a dominant favourite and the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained four-year-old never gave his army of supporters a moment of concern over the 2000 metres.
He jumped smartly from the outside gate to sit in second spot before surging to the front 700 metres from home.
Gunstock was clear at the top of the straight and under a kind ride from Jamie Kah coasted to the post to win by 3l.
“I think he has got a good 2400 metre race in him, whether it be the Bendigo Cup or Geelong Cup or the last day of the carnival,” Price said.
“He is a good, clean-winded and sound stayer and he’s still on the way up.”
Gunstock had finished runner-up in his seasonal reappearance over 1600 metres at Flemington last month and successful rider Kah said he had taken significant benefit from that outing.
“The way he was travelling, I knew I would get to the front too soon but he had taken a lot of improvement from his last run and he wouldn’t have blown a candle out - it was way too easy for him.”
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 has been bred to Sword of State this season, and she is also the dam of the multiple winner and Group performer The Irishman from the from the family of the multiple Group 1 winner Sea Siren.