The form out of winter midweek maidens can be deceiving but Mr Mellon could be the exception for Mungrup owner-breeder Gray Williamson.
Mr Mellon (A Lot) looked a serious horse winning the Unite Resourcing Maiden (1200m) at Belmont on Wednesday for Williamson and trainer Dave Harrison. Sooled straight to the lead from a wide gate on debut, he dictated terms with the help of a soft sectional approaching the home turn.
Clicked up a gear in the straight by Paul Harvey, he ran out a comfortable two-length winner over the favourite Call Me Invincible (I Am Invincible) and Gunning For Gold (Shooting To Win).
Mr Mellon (3g A Lot – Who Stole The Moon by War Chant) has looked the part since his early days at Mungrup in the Great Southern. “He was in a paddock with a group that turned out to be half-decent horses like Godspeed,” Gray recalled. “And a lot of people would pick him out and say ‘who is that one’?
“We will just take small steps at this stage. I told ‘Harro’ he could be our best horse by A Lot even before he started serious work. He will continue to develop and ‘Harro’ is on the way back from the Birdsville races so we will wait and see where we go when he returns home.”
Photo / Western Racepix
Mr Mellon is the first named foal from Who Stole The Moon and she is a unraced daughter of G3 WATC Champion Fillies Stakes (1600m) winner Danebeela (Danetime).
A Lot (Tapit) was record-breaking sprinter in the United States and was sourced by Williamson to stand at Mungrup Stud in 2018. Among his early black-type stars were A Lot Of Good Men (G2 WATC Derby) and Sir Dreamalot (LR Supremacy Stakes (1000m).
Unfortunately, the tyranny of distance meant his numbers decreased to just a half-dozen 2yo starters last season. He had earlier been transferred to Phil Ibbotson’s West Pinjarra property in 2023 by Gray’s daughter Claire Williamson and that move will commence paying dividends as from next month when 2yo racing returns at Ascot.
Ibbotson is looking forward to Perth’s 2yo racing season with A Lot (USA) who is all set to recapture the form that saw him crowned Champion WA First-Season Sire in 2022. In the meantime, he has announced A Lot (USA) will stand for a reduced service fee of $4,400 (inc GST) this season. “A Lot’s current 2yo crop is the first bred here. They’re good-legged athletes and there’s double the number than the crop bred the year before he arrived here.”
A Lot (pictured) has built an above average 16% black-type performers to winners strike-rate and he stands at Westbury Park alongside newcomer Straight Charge ($6,600) and My Admiration ($4,400). For bookings or further information contact Phil Ibbotson (0429 341 211) or Claire Williamson (0417 914 605).
