Grit versus Glamour

Published: 15 Apr 2016

Already a champion - Kermadec after winning the Group One Doncaster during The Championships in 2015

Racing often brings together the ‘battlers' and the millionaires, and today’s no different in the running of the Group One All Aged Stakes.

The race is a tale of two unfashionable yearlings sold for a total of $48,000 against the glamour colt and stallion from the Chris Waller yard, valued in the tens of millions of dollars.

Melbourne raider MALAGUERRA was bought for $32,000 as a yearling, a keen-going son of Magnus with an incredible will to win. It’s amazing to think he lost to Weinholt just five starts ago, a horse rated 12 lengths slower than KERMADEC, and now he’s a short-priced runner in a Group One.

The story behind West Australian BLACK HEART BART is even more of a fairy tale. He passed in for just $16,000 at the Perth Yearling Sales as his owner watched at home. Fisherman Kim Renner then jumped on the phone and picked up the horse, naming him after his favourite fishing lure!

The big long-striding gelding shares the same determination as MALAGUERRA, except he relishes chasing down his wins from the back, rather than sprinting from the front.

As for the Waller runners, PRESS STATEMENT needs no introduction. The prized colt has won 6 of his 10 starts, including two Group Ones, the same number as Doncaster-winning KERMADEC.

KERMADEC $7

Trainer: Chris Waller

Jockey: James McDonald

Breeding: Teofilo x Hy Fuji

Rating: 114

Group One Wins: 2

Prizemoney per Run: $177,189

PRESS STATEMENT $3.2

Trainer: Chris Waller

Jockey: Hugh Bowman

Breeding: Hinchinbrook

Rating: 108 (3 lengths off KERMADEC)

Group One Wins: 2

Prizemoney per Run: $179,028

BLACK HEART BART $6.5

Trainer: Darren Weir

Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy

Breeding: Blackfriars x Sister Theresa

Rating: 109 (2.5 lengths off KERMADEC)

Group One Wins: 0

Prizemoney per Run: $44,864

MALAGUERRA $3.9

Trainer: Lee & Anthony Freedman

Jockey: Blake Shinn

Breeding: Magnus x Tennessee Morn

Rating: 108 (3 lengths off KERMADEC)

Group One Wins: 0

Prizemoney per Run: $25,069

The Verdict

Our Analyst Team is sticking with Waller’s class, but they will know they’ve been in a race!

Bet on KERMADEC $7 and PRESS STATEMENT $3.2

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