3 minute read
Son of Lonhro chasing win to justify faith shown by his trainers at yearling sale
Amenable failed to create any headlines at last year's Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in Melbourne, but that did not reflect the opinion Michael Kent Jnr had of him.
The son of Lonhro possessed a number of attributes that prompted both Kent and his co-trainer, Mick Price, to think he was a colt worth taking a risk on at $150,000.
He gets the chance to justify that belief, and emulate his father, in this Saturday's $3 million Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield.
"I remember him clearly, he was stabled down the bottom there at Melbourne Premier," Kent recalled.
"My notes were, 'nice shape, time, clean, correct colt. Nice'. He was a good mover and Mick had similar notes.
"For a Lonhro colt he was a very similar-looking colt to his dad and was what you think might find when you see a Lonhro.
"He walked out of the box and had a bit of presence about him. He was a beautiful colour, lowered his head nicely we liked him. He had a beautiful flat knee, he stood up there nicely and, given he was a 10th of November foal, he was immature at the sales.
"We took that punt and the price tag of $150,000 looks very good now."
Amenable was part of the draft from Lime Country, which was selling on behalf of Kia Ora Stud.
He is out of the Irish mare Carribean Sunset, a daughter of Danehill Dancer and the Royal Academy mare Bonheur, who was a multiple Group 3 winner and multiple Group 1 placegetter in the UK.
Trained by Dermot Weld when in Europe, Carribean Sunset posted three Group 3 wins as a three-year-old, one over 1408m and two over 1609m, a season in which she also finished third in the Irish 1000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes, both over 1609m.
She campaigned in America under Christophe Clement as a four and five-year-old, where she was runner-up in the Grade 1 Diana Stakes (1810m) at Saratoga.
Carribean Sunset came to Australia shortly after her racing career ended in 2010 and was a proven producer long before Amenable went through the sale ring.
First foal Island Breeze (More Than Ready) failed to win in seven starts, but second foal Lovani, who, like Amenable, is also by Lonhro, was a five-time winner who was also placed in a Group 2 Let's Elope Stakes (1400m).
Next came Holbien, a product of Lonhro's son Pierro, who counts last year's Listed Lord Stakes (1700m), among his seven wins, while fifth foal Submerge (Deep Field) is a two-time winner and sixth foal Always Hapi (American Pharoah) has won three races.
Carribean Sunset's race record, combined with the deeds of her progeny at the time of last year's Inglis Melbourne offering caught Kent's attention.
"She was placed in three Group 1s, including the Coronation Stakes and the 1000 Guineas in Ireland, that's a proper horse," he said.
"So, the first thing I noticed was that Caribbean Sunset was very talented and she'd been winning and placing over seven furlongs and a mile, that was a positive, and Danehill Dancer was a speed influence.
"The other thing was her longevity. She ran at the top level and she was very durable.
"The clues were there on the page and then when you looked at the horse at the sales, as to what he might become, thankfully he's improved like we hoped he might.
"It's still all in front of him and he's a beautiful colt."
Amenable had his first start over 1300m at Sandown in March, which he won, before being put away with spring in mind.
His Guineas campaign started with a fourth placing over 1200m at The Valley on Feehan Stakes Day before a third placing in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) on September 17.
That race was run in atrocious conditions, with hail falling mid-race, but Kent said, oddly, it shaped as a great final lead-up run for Amenable.
"I think it was a blessing in disguise that in that race he drew wide and Damien Oliver went back on him and he didn't have a gut-busting run," Kent said.
"He was just able to come back, gather his feet and work home his last 400 when he got to the outside. So, he didn't have a gut-buster and the horse has come on well.
"He's still got a lot of furnishing to do, he's not the complete package yet, but we've got confidence in the horse that he's going to be finishing off late.
"I think he's had a beautiful preparation and he's peaking for the race at the right time."
Amenable was bought 'on spec' by Price and Kent, who then on-sold him to a group of owners headed up by John Maclean, whose lime green and blue colours Oliver will be sporting in his quest for a second-straight win in the race, having won last year on Anamoe, and third win overall.
MacLean and several family members who are also involved in Amenable have experienced success at the highest level, via the likes of Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes winner Orange County, but others are on this sort of ride for the first time.
What Price and Kent paid for him will be multiplied by at least 100 if, as a son of an Australian Champion Sire, he wins one of Australia's most respected three-year-old races.
"It'll all be life-changing for them if he was able to win," he said.
