Friar’s Legacy showed speed and stubborn resistance to lead from barrier to box in the Lawn Pride Australia Maiden (1200m) at Belmont Park on Wednesday.
Given an educational outing by Pearce Racing at Ascot in March, he was fancied to break through following a first-up placing behind Country God (Playing God) and Riva Aquarama (Star Turn) when he was specked from $18 into $10.
Friar’s Legacy went out a $3.50 favourite at Belmont and kept the fence when Dark Ambition (Awesome Rock) crossed from a wide gate. He had more in reserve when tackled by Gangster Goddess (Street Boss) in the straight and they spaced the rest of the field by five lengths.
“Twelve months ago I said he was a Guineas horse and he will get a mile once he learns how to settle,” co-trainer Ben Pearce said. “He pulled up shinny after that debut in the autumn and he was super first-up last month. He’s a nice horse in the making but we will see how he tracks before making any decisions.”
The G2 WA Guineas (1600m) worth $500,000 is scheduled for November 22 at Ascot.
“I’ve never punched into a headwind like that and no-one wanted to lead so we didn’t have to work too hard,” winning jockey Chris Parnham explained. “It probably wasn’t Plan A or Plan B but it worked for us today.”
Friar’s Legacy was bred by Ben Pearce and is raced in partnership with stable client Trevor McKee. “His dam Friar’s Fantasia is a Blackfriars mare and she got over ground for us winning up to 1800m at Ascot,” Pearce recalled. “We sent her across to Written By to put some speed into the family.”
He’s the first foal from Friar’s Fantasia and her latest is a yearling colt by Geisel Park sire Aysar (Deep Field). Second-dam I Do Believe (Fasliyev) is a half-sister to Luminia (Semipalatinsk) who won the LR Exhibition Hcp (1800m) at Eagle Farm in 1997.
