News

Wandjina To Stand At Newgate

20th Apr 2015

Thoroughbred News Desk - Monday 20 April 2015

Newgate Farm announced on Monday that the Gai Waterhouse trained Wandjina (Snitzel x La Bamba) will join Dissident on their stallion roster to stand at stud this season.

The two were first and second in the Group 1 Schweppes All Aged Stakes over 1400m at Randwick on Saturday after a fne battle between them for the length of the straight.

The son of leading sire Snitzel stamped himself as one of the best of his generation when winning the Group I VRC Australian Guineas over 1600m at Flemington on March 15th prior to Saturday's excellent second place against the older horses..

“He’s the best three year-old in Australia and he marked himself that today,” said Waterhouse.

“This is a really good quality field and this should really be the $4 million race.”

Always one to look forward, Waterhouse immediately announced Royal Ascot was on the agenda for Wandjina with the Group I Diamond Jubilee Stakes as the target.

“If he travels well, he won’t be beaten,” she told Sky Racing on Sunday.

A $1 million Inglis Easter purchase for James Harron Bloodstock on behalf of Dr Edmund and Mrs Belinda Bateman, Wandjina set a new benchmark for his sire when selling at the 2013 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

The second Group I winner and fourth stakes-winner from renowned Arrowfield ‘blue hen’ La Bamba, Wandjina is everything his good looks and pedigree promised he would be.

“The most important thing in a horse is to have speed,” Gai Waterhouse reflected.

“He was the fastest yearling I had and then the fastest two year-old, but it has taken until now to put it altogether. The speed is something they have to have though… and he has it.”