A solid pace in Sunday’s Listed Canberra Guineas allowed two promising Sebring three year-olds to come from the tail of the field to fight out the finish with the winner Assimilate part-owned by Newgate Farm.
To the cheers of the punters, the heavily backed favourite Assimilate charged home from second last on the turn to defeat Primitivo by three-quarters of a length in the 1400 metre feature.
A winner at Kembla Grange and Randwick, the Peter and Paul Snowden trained colt looked on target for a major race when second to Addictive Nature in the Group III ATC Ming Dynasty Stakes at Rosehill Gardens before finishing fifth in Trapeze Artist’s Group 1 ATC Golden Rose Stakes back in the spring.
Luckless at his first two runs back from a break in Group company, Assimilate was fit and ready to fire.
Carrying the colours of China Horse Club, Assimilate advanced his record to three wins and a second from seven starts with earnings of $230,750.
Newgate Farm’s Henry Field, a part-owner of the striking chestnut, said the son of Sebring is up to winning a good race in Sydney over the carnival.
“The horse has got talent. He finished fifth in the Golden Rose and Paul and Peter have always had a good opinion of him,” Field told Sky Racing.
“He’s a beautiful horse with a great pedigree and it was a wonderful ride by Tye.
“We will find a nice race through the (Sydney) carnival for him.”
A $420,000 purchase for China Horse Club / WinStar from the Edinburgh Park draft at the 2016 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Assimilate runs for a syndicate that also includes Aquis Farm and Horse Ventures.
He is the second foal of the stakes-winning Commands mare Jester’s Girl a daughter of the Listed winner and Group 1 Golden Slipper and Magic Millions 2yo Classic runner-up How Funny.