Lynward Park-bred bolter Fear the Wind caused a $201 boilover at Ascot on Saturday when he overwhelmed a wall of horses for a black-type first in the LR Detonator Stakes (1800m).
Fear the Wind (8g Fiorente – Windana by Danehill) tracked into the race from the back of the field behind Arcadia Park (Ocean Park) and then cornered six-wide before Luke Campbell let him down to defeat Rocking Society (Awesome Rock) by three-quarters of a length.
Bred by Lynward Park’s Ted and Marilyn van Heemst, he was greeting the judge for the first time since completing a five-race winning run in the 2023 Rogan Josh Hcp (1600m). A tendon injury sidelined him for 18 months after that purple-patch and Pearce Racing did consider retiring the veteran earlier this season.
Fear The Wind wins Detonator St / Photo: Western Racepix
“We pulled the pin on the (G2) Perth Cup but he’s a lovely horse and loves his racing,” co-trainer Ben Pearce said. “He has shown us glimpses of form so we kept him going and that was a super win.”
Fear the Wind was being set for the $100,000 Esperance Cup (2000m) on Sunday, March 1 but a higher rating has Pearce Racing exploring other options with managing part-owner Jason Ferguson who bought him for $50,000 at the 2019 Perth Magic Millions.
Lynward Park’s Troy and Chad van Heemst kept a share and Saturday’s 8th win in 37 starts sent his earnings to $413,000. He’s by the Gai Waterhouse-trained G1 Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente (Ire) from Windana who was a $72,500 purchase for the Bullsbrook nursery at the 2005 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Among her other winners are the Stakes performed Simplyirresistible (Royal Academy) and her older half-sister Angel Girl (Rory’s Jester) who is the dam of NZ Group 1 winner Southern Lord (Levin Classic). Lynward Park sold a Gingerbread Man colt from Simplyirresistible (Lot 75) for $55,000 to Ryan Hill at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale on Thursday.
Top-price among Lynward Park’s draft was the Bivouac colt from USA Stakes-performed mare Plastered (Lot 51). He was sold to McEvoy Mitchell Racing and Belmont Bloodstock for $130,000. “He was highly sought-after and ticked all the boxes,” Troy van Heemst said. “He seemed to be on everyone’s list and that kept us busy.”
Lynward Park achieved a 100% clearance rate with its 12 yearlings and they met the market when selling the Yes Yes Yes colt from How to Fly (Lot 8) to Josh Brown for $80,000. He looked the part and looked a bargain. His older brother Flying Swagman won a Lark Hill 2yo trial for David Harrison in December.
