OTI Racing’s Tall Ship (IRE) owns a pedigree that would not be out of place in the English Classics however the son of Sea The Stars is quickly earning the reputation as the country cups king in Victoria.
The winner of his previous three starts including the Stawell Cup and Terang Cup, Tall Ship (IRE) earned his first stakes win in Thursday’s $200,000 Listed Warrnambool Cup (2350m).
Ridden by Brad Rawiller, the Darren Weir-trained gelding came clear to defeat Robert Smerdon-trained Arch Fire (USA) (Arch) by three and three-quarter lengths with Lucciola (IRE) (Verglas) a short half-head away in third.
"He’s had a great campaign, there’s been no pressure from the owners, they’ve just said place him in the races you think best suit and try and bring him on,” Weir told Racing.com.
"He had good form when he was bought, so he came to us a horse with good potential and while he ran well at Sandown at his first start (in Australia) he took a massive step at home from that first to second start he won at Geelong.
"He’s just taken steps since then and taken another good one today.”
"I think he’s done enough now.”
"I think we’ll give him a little break and bring him back for the spring.
"He looks like he’ll stick, so we’ll hopefully head to the better staying races. He’s a lightly-raced horse, so who knows.”
Formerly trained in England by Gary Moore, Tall Ship came under the OTI radar when winning his last two races including a seven length romp at Goodwood last August.
He is a son of one of the world’s great racehorses, Sea The Stars (pictured) , a half-brother to the champion stallion Galileo.
The son of Cape Cross has made a wonderful start to his stud career, not surprising considering the class of mares he covered.
A good example of that is Tall Ship’s dam Magical Romance (Barathea) who won the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes in 2004 and was sold as broodmare for a world record £4.6 million two years later.
Magical Romance is a three-quarter sister to Alexandrova, the Champion 3YO Filly in GB &
Ireland and Europe in 2006 following her wins in the Group 1 Epsom Oaks, Group 1 Irish Oaks and Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks.
racinginqld.com
The winner of his previous three starts including the Stawell Cup and Terang Cup, Tall Ship (IRE) earned his first stakes win in Thursday’s $200,000 Listed Warrnambool Cup (2350m).
Ridden by Brad Rawiller, the Darren Weir-trained gelding came clear to defeat Robert Smerdon-trained Arch Fire (USA) (Arch) by three and three-quarter lengths with Lucciola (IRE) (Verglas) a short half-head away in third.
"He’s had a great campaign, there’s been no pressure from the owners, they’ve just said place him in the races you think best suit and try and bring him on,” Weir told Racing.com.
"He had good form when he was bought, so he came to us a horse with good potential and while he ran well at Sandown at his first start (in Australia) he took a massive step at home from that first to second start he won at Geelong.
"He’s just taken steps since then and taken another good one today.”
"I think he’s done enough now.”
"I think we’ll give him a little break and bring him back for the spring.
"He looks like he’ll stick, so we’ll hopefully head to the better staying races. He’s a lightly-raced horse, so who knows.”
Formerly trained in England by Gary Moore, Tall Ship came under the OTI radar when winning his last two races including a seven length romp at Goodwood last August.
He is a son of one of the world’s great racehorses, Sea The Stars (pictured) , a half-brother to the champion stallion Galileo.
The son of Cape Cross has made a wonderful start to his stud career, not surprising considering the class of mares he covered.
A good example of that is Tall Ship’s dam Magical Romance (Barathea) who won the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes in 2004 and was sold as broodmare for a world record £4.6 million two years later.
Magical Romance is a three-quarter sister to Alexandrova, the Champion 3YO Filly in GB &
Ireland and Europe in 2006 following her wins in the Group 1 Epsom Oaks, Group 1 Irish Oaks and Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks.
racinginqld.com