Written by Georgie Dennis
Darley’s first-season shuttler Frosted (USA) has kicked off his Southern Hemisphere career with flying colours after he scored first and third in the Listed Darley Maribyrnong Trial S. at Flemington on Saturday.
Frosted’s son Ingratiating defeated Darley Spring Preview winner General Beau (Brazen Beau) by 1l with his daughter Cloudy running on strongly to finish 4.5l away in third.
Ridden by Damien Oliver, Ingratiating jumped from the inside barrier and went toe-to-toe with General Beau in the final stages of the race but managed to edge him out to score the win.
“We’ve produced three of these Frosteds now, last week The Globe and now this colt, and we’ve always had a good feel about him, it’s a super result,” said stable representative Sean Keogh.
"We always had a good feel for him. The guys at Crown Lodge in Sydney took him through his paces and then he came to Melbourne about six weeks ago.
"I think the first pair put a good few lengths to the third horse. (With Cloudy third) it was a good representation for Frosted.
"It looked like he (Ingratiating) had good natural speed but he had toughness to fight it out and the class, too. He's got plenty of scope to come and we're delighted with that."
“Damien sat just off the speed and when he produced this colt, he showed an electric turn of foot. He has natural speed and toughness with plenty of scope to come.”
Oliver was also impressed with Ingratiating’s performance and has liked what he has seen of Frosted’s progeny so far.
Frosted (USA), sire of Ingratiating | Standing at Darley
"He's a little ripper," the champion jockey said. "He pleased me in his trials. He didn't quite get it all together, but I knew he had something there.
"He jumped well today, which he hadn't done in his trials and he was a very professional horse.
"I've only ridden two of these Frosteds (sire) - a filly that ran third here at the last meeting and this bloke, and geez they're really forward and precocious types and I think this bloke has got a good future in front of him.
"Geez they're [Frosted] really forward and precocious types and I think this bloke has got a good future in front of him." - Damien Oliver
"(General Beau) was probably a couple of lengths in front of us and I was keeping him in my sights. It is never easy for a horse on the inside coming through, especially a young unraced horse. He responded really well.
"It's always good when they clear out from the rest and you think they're two nice colts and this horse has got a good future."
Bred by Godolphin, Ingratiating is the fourth foal to race and win out of Obsequious (Lonhro), who won the G2 Light Fingers S. and G3 San Domenico S.
Out of Commands mare Sycophant, she is a half-sister to two other winners while her third dam is also responsible for G2 Tea Rose S. placegetter Sydney Owner (Octagonal).
Obsequious has a yearling filly by Sepoy while she is back in foal to Frosted.
Ingratiating is the first Southern Hemisphere winner for Frosted and his seventh overall but he is the first stakes winner worldwide for the multiple Group 1 winner.
At his third season standing at Darley’s Northwood Park in Victoria, Frosted stands for a fee of $22,000 (inc GST).
Hot start for Artie
Newgate first-season sire Flying Artie has also gotten off to a good start as a sire with his first runner Princess Bojack scoring on debut at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The Michael Nolan-trained filly won by 0.75l ahead of Stellar Magic (Star Turn) with Headlander (Better Than Ready) a further 2.5l away in third.
“We bought her at the sales, she’s been in and out a couple of times and we brought her back in with the Magic Millions in mind,” Nolan said.
“She is small but nice and racey and she has been a good filly to train.
“We might give her a bit of a break now and see what we do.”
Watch: Princess Bojack winning at Eagle Farm
Princess Bojack was purchased by Nolan for $50,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Murrulla Stud and she is the first foal to race out of five-time winner Catseye Surprise (Testa Rossa).
Catseye Surprise has a yearling colt by Star Turn and was covered by Winning Rupert last spring.
Flying Artie, who himself was a talented juvenile, stands at Newgate Farm for a fee of $16,500 (inc GST) this season.
