An exciting winner at Canterbury on Wednesday for the Peter and Paul Snowden stable was Smart Missile colt Mediterranean, a $280,000 Magic Millions purchase for James Harron Bloodstock/Snowden Racing from the Newgate Farm draft.
Resuming from a spell following two midfield finishes in the Group II ATC Skyline Stakes and Pago Pago Stakes, Mediterranean was well supported on the strength of two recent trial wins.
He made light of the heavy conditions to win the 1200 metre maiden by a length and three-quarters with connections confident there are good things to come.
“I have only seen two other horses win like that here at Canterbury,” said Paul Snowden.
“Trusting did something like that winning on debut and a horse called Only Words which went on to win much better races.
“Kerrin (McEvoy) had to make two runs on him today yet he still won with authority. That tells me he is a serious racehorse.”
Winning rider Kerrin McEvoy was impressed with the youngster, who has spring goals in mind.
“He was simply much better than the opposition today,” McEvoy said. “It’s hard to get a line in him as to where he sits.
“He only beat a midweek maiden field, although the second horse goes alright.
“Off his trials you would have expected him to win like that. That was a good starting point and there is more to come.”
Bred by Matthew Sandblom and foaled and raised at Newgate Farm, Mediterranean runs for a partnership that includes James Harron Bloodstock and Newgate Farm and is a half-brother to Group III placed Windjammer. He is the fourth winner from stakes-placed Ekali, who died in 2015.
Newgate Farm sold a Bernardini (USA) yearling filly from Ekali at Magic Millions this year for $90,000 and her last foal is a weanling colt by Foxwedge.
Mediterranean has stallion potential in spades as he is from a half-sister to the dam of Golden Slipper winner Capitalist, who was also bought from the same sale by James Harron Bloodstock.