9 Mar 2024Tavistock’s son Young Werther produced a perfect dress rehearsal for an upcoming Group 1 feature when he coasted to victory at Flemington in the Australian Cup Prelude over 1800 metres.
The Cambridge Stud graduate had finished third when resuming off a break in G3 Carlyon Cup over a mile at Caulfield last month and with natural improvement he had no trouble putting his rivals away at Melbourne headquarters.
“He had trained on really well and the four weeks break between runs suited him, he was happy to be back at Flemington,” O’Brien said.
“The Australian Cup in three weeks’ time is the goal over 2000 metres will be perfect for him.”
Young Werther was sent out a dominant favourite and rider Damian Lane was happy to take him to the front and out of harm’s way.
They forged clear 300 metres from home and cruised the post with two and a-half lengths to spare.
“They way the race set up for him at the weights, he was clearly the class horse of the race and we didn’t want to get caught up in any traffic so we were happy to lead,” O’Brien said.
Young Werther has now won four races and his class is emphasised with Group 1 placings in the Australian and Victorian Derbys, the Mackinnon Stakes and two editions of the Turnbull Stakes.
Bought out of the farm’s Karaka draft for $140,000, he is a brother to the multiple winner Villaden with dam the Fastnet Rock mare Romantic Time.
Her four foals to race have all been successful and includes our American Pharoah filly About Time, successful in this season’s G2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes.
A half-sister to the G2 Silver Slipper Stakes winner Amelia’s Dream, Romantic Time’s son of Savabeel sold to Te Akau’s David Ellis for $300,000 at Karaka this year.
She had an Almanzor colt last season.