New-season I’m All The Talk 3yo Cape Leeuwin looked a natural front-runner winning the Mrs Mac’s Plate (1200m) on a Heavy 8 at Pinjarra on Saturday.
Cape Leeuwin took control from a wide gate for Brad Parnham and relished give in the ground to score convincingly over Hubble’s Dragon (Deep Field) and Split The Gee (Rommel). He was facing the starter for the fourth time and isn’t quite there yet according to Impressive Racing trainer Darren McAuliffe.
“He looked good at the trials but is still growing into himself,” D.Mac said. “He has an unusual action and has been on the wrong leg until today. He’s a big horse with ability and a wonderful temperament and he will keep improving getting out to mile.”
His sire I’m All The Talk (Stratum) won the WA 2YO title in the season just gone and Cape Leeuwin is the fifth winner from his final crop. He’s from an Oratorio mare and that cross has a generated 16 individual winners at a remarkable 94% strike-rate headed by G2 WA Guineas (1600m) winner Watch Me Dance.
“He’s still a work in progress but his class shone through out there,” Parnham reported. “He didn’t do anything wrong and looks a handy horse. He was in a good rhythm and lengthened nicely.”
Cape Leeuwin was bred by Ann and Tom Croucher with Stephanie Mitchell and was sold by Ann’s sister Claire Williamson through Willaview Park (as agent) at last year’s Magic Millions Sale.
He’s a half-brother to Ngawi (Demerit) who won the 2018 Seacorp Plate at Ascot and followed up with one-length second to Valour Road (Frost Giant) in the RL Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic (1200m) at Pinjarra.
They are out of Cape To Cape (Oratorio) who is from a half-sister to the dam of Covertly (G1 Railway Stakes) and So Secret (G3 Colonel Reeves Stakes).
