Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Some brave punters in Rosemont Stud’s ownership group saw the $41 odds for Catoggio (Written Tycoon) going into the Listed The Amanda Elliott on Melbourne Cup Day and jumped at the chance to make some fast cash.
And it was certainly a Cup Day to remember after Jye McNeil piloted their 3-year-old gelding to a 0.4l win in the Listed 1400-metre race for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
But the fun didn't end with those juicy odds.
Bosustow’s (Blue Point {Ire}) runner-up finish made it a quinella for Rosemont Stud, the three-time champion Victorian breeder with about 500 horses under their management.
And the owners did not hesitate in having a bet on this exact result, according to General Manager of Bloodstock, Ryan McEvoy.
“In terms of the odds I haven’t read much into it, but certainly some of the partners a bit braver than me were happy to take the quinella and that made it a nice day for them,” he told The Thoroughbred Report.
Anthony Mithen and Ryan McEvoy | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The good feelings could continue in the G3 Blue Sapphire S. for 3-year-olds over 1200 metres at Caulfield next Saturday, the sprint worth $200,000 shaping up as Catoggio’s next start.
And if that goes to plan, Catoggio will head to the Magic Millions Raceday on the Gold Coast on January 11 next year.
“He’ll stay in work for the short-term, and there’s a race at Caulfield on Saturday week called the Blue Sapphire Stakes for 3-year-olds,” McEvoy said. “He’s some chance for that, see how he comes through (Tuesday). Providing he’s bouncing, we might look to that race on Saturday week.”
“He’ll (Catoggio) stay in work for the short-term, and there’s a race at Caulfield on Saturday week called the Blue Sapphire Stakes for 3-year-olds. He’s some chance for that...” - Ryan McEvoy
Catoggio showed plenty of class and maturity to hit the lead at the 300-metre mark on Melbourne Cup Day, before holding off Bosustow.
It was a particularly impressive performance given he only won at maiden level in his fifth career start over 1147 metres at Geelong on September 26.
Last start before Tuesday, Catoggio finished fourth in the $150,000 Lamaro’s Hotel Plate for 3-year-old colts and geldings over 1400 metres at Caulfield on October 19, 4.3l behind the winner Getafix (Calyx {GB}).
Catoggio wins the Listed Amanda Elliott at Flemington | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It (The Amanda Elliott) looked a competitive field without having an obvious horse in it. It looked like a lot of nice horses on their way up, and I certainly thought he was over the odds,” McEvoy said.
“He was well backed in in his second start (in a $60,000 Handicap for 2-year-old colts and geldings at Randwick-Kensington on March 27) and just didn’t quite execute.
“But he’s got talent, and when Gai Waterhouse tells you that he’s one of the most improved horses in the stable, you’ve got to listen.
“... he’s (Catoggio) got talent, and when Gai Waterhouse tells you that he’s one of the most improved horses in the stable, you’ve got to listen.” - Ryan McEvoy
“Gai and Adrian have done a terrific job. He was a little fierce and a touch wayward as a 2-year-old, but they’ve really got his mind into gear now, and they’re maximising him really well.”
Similarities to Written Tycoon
Catoggio was a $460,000 purchase by Rosemont Alliance and Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) from Baramul Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
By nine-time Victorian Champion Sire Written Tycoon, McEvoy sees similarities to the star stallion who has produced 62 individual stakes winners, with both showing promise on debut as 2-year-olds.
Catoggio as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Written Tycoon won the 2005 AJC Seppelt Wines 2YO Handicap in career start number one, and at the same age Catoggio finished fourth in his first start, which happened to be last year’s version of the Maribyrnong Plate on Cup Day.
“He was a bit immature as a 2-year-old. Going back to him as a yearling, he was a neat style of Written Tycoon,” McEvoy said.
“Well put together, good-moving horse. We looked at him as a 2-year-old type physically. He still had a lot of furnishing to do, but he looked like he had a good way about him.
“He got to the races as early as the Maribyrnong Plate last year, but just mentally was still a bit immature.
“Next prep he was just a bit fierce in his work and a few other little habits were creeping in. So we had to make a call to make a racehorse of him and gelding him has really turned the horse around.”
“... we had to make a call to make a racehorse of him (Catoggio) and gelding him has really turned the horse around.” - Ryan McEvoy
Collectively, Rosemond Stud thought Catoggio’s dam, Palazzo Pubblico (Conatus) was a terrific match for Written Tycoon.
Palazzo Pubblico has so far produced one other stakes winner, Palazzo Spirit, who is by Spirit Of Boom, a sire of 27 stakes victors.
“She was just a fast mare. You look at Written Tycoon, and the majority of his topline horses have been out of that style of mare – a really speedy 1000-metre to five-furlong type of mare,” McEvoy said.
Written Tycoon | Standing at Yulong
“It showed up in good quality races, so we liked those factors. He wasn’t a big, leggy type of Written Tycoon.
“We preferred the neater style of horse by that stallion, and with those factors combined we were happy to land on him at that level.”
Bosustow a colt with upside
McEvoy also sees plenty of potential in his The Amanda Elliott runner-up, Bosustow.
Rosemont Alliance and Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) bought the 3-year-old colt – by Blue Point (Ire) and out of Bumbasina (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) – for $900,000 from Segenhoe Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Bosustow as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Bumbasina has also produced G1 Northerly S. winner, Amelia’s Jewel, who is by Siyouni (Fr).
“The second horse is a colt, and he’s got terrific upside as well,” McEvoy said.
“He’s a half-brother to Amelia’s Jewel, he placed in a Group 1 as a 2-year-old in the JJ Atkins (last year) and there’s some good racing in store for that horse at some point.
“He’s some chance to have a little breather now for a couple of weeks and there’s a possibility we look at the Magic Millions 3-year-old Guineas over 1400 metres for Magic Millions graduates over the right trip in January.
“So that could be a target for him.”
“The second horse (Bosustow) is a colt, and he’s got terrific upside as well... there’s a possibility we look at the Magic Millions 3-year-old Guineas over 1400 metres (for him).” - Ryan McEvoy
Blue Point is the only horse ever to win three Group 1 sprints at Royal Ascot and has produced 13 stakes winners.
Blue Point’s first crop of Southern Hemisphere juveniles have achieved black type in the G1 JJ Atkins, G2 Sires' Produce S., Listed Maribyrnong Plate, Listed Talindert S. and the Listed Supremacy S..
Rosemont Stud's stack of stars
Currently, there is no shortage of talent at Rosemont Stud, and McEvoy is looking forward to seeing some promising juveniles continue to progress in the coming weeks.
“There’s an impressive 2-year-old by I Am Invincible called Lockyer. He was a bit stiff not to win on debut on Saturday for Tony Gollan,” he said.
“He’s a Magic Millions graduate and a possible candidate for that race. Winmar didn’t quite execute (coming eighth in the Maribyrnong Plate on Tuesday), but he’s shown really nice talent for the Hayes team.
Lockyer as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“He was a really eye-catching third in the Debutant Stakes in October. We’re about to see some unraced 2-year-olds step out in the next month that are really exciting us.
“We’ve got a Snitzel colt called Aloisi with the Mick Price-Michael Kent Jnr team, an Extreme Choice colt called Pimlico with the John O’Shea and Tom Charlton stable and a Too Darn Hot colt with Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman as well.
“They’re just some who are certainly looking like they’ve got above-average ability, which is great.”
