Headwater’s second crop looks just as potent as the first after he sired promising 2yo winners Heavenly Waters (Ascot) and You’ll Be Mist (Sunshine Coast) on Saturday.
Vinery’s young gun is the benchmark for precocity among Australia’s second-season stallions. After topping the winners table in his freshman year, he has hit the ground running again on the east and west coasts.
Heavenly Waters (2f Headwater – Serafina by Snitzel) was a no-fuss winner of the $100,000 Crystal Slipper Stakes (1100m) at the Group 1 meeting in Perth. Appearing on debut, she jumped smartly and sat on the pace before breaking clear from Astrape (Snitzel) and Flying Missile (Cable Bay).
“She’s only 430kg but she’s tough and she’s got a motor,” Great Southern trainer Roy Rogers said after the filly saluted at $19. “She had won a trial in Albany and I told all my owners on MiStable to have something each-way.
“She doesn’t carry much weight and her shins are perfect. We will take her back home and see how she pulls up but we’re going to look after her. It would be great if we could came back next prep for a race like the (Gr.2) Karrakatta.”
Heavenly Waters was a bargain-buy for Rogers from Secret View Thoroughbreds vendor Tony Marwick at the 2020 Perth Magic Millions. “She looked a nice walker and is well-bred. My old mate Tony told me the clock was ticking and I thought she was worth an opportunity at $9,000.”
The Crystal Slipper winner was bred at Glastonbury Farm and is a first foal from an international black-type family. Second-dam Mythical Play (Defensive Play) was a Champion 3YO Filly in South Africa and third-dam Kate’s Myth (Kaoru Star) was a Champion 3YO Filly in NZ.
Jockey Lucy Warwick reported Heavenly Waters travelled like a professional first-up at Ascot. “Roy told me to be positive and lead or sit outside the leader. She looked up at the stadium and the big crowd in the straight but then kicked and won super.”
Earlier on Saturday at the Sunshine Coast, You’ll Be Mist maintained a winning margin from start to finish in the Innovative Planning Solutions Hcp (1000m). At $17, she also caught punters and her rivals unawares with the speed to take up a forward position and the strength to finish them off.
You’ll Be Mist (2f Headwater – Dalnabec by Arena) was rated perfectly in front by jockey Robbie Fradd and had enough in reserve to hold off Invinsible Tears (Maurice). Trained locally by Darryl Hansen for managing owner Lynette Lawlor, she cost $18,000 at the Gold Coast Magic Millions.
The win was in stark contrast to a best-forgotten debut behind Miss Hipstar (Star Turn) at Doomben on November 7. Stewards reported she began awkwardly and raced three wide without cover throughout. Bred by Glenn Swift, she hails from a Lomar Park family through her dam’s three-quarter sister Regal Cheer (Coolmore Classic Gr.1).
Headwater is covering a full-book at Vinery this year and his third-crop yearlings begin parading at the 2021 Gold Coast Magic Millions on Tuesday, January 12. First under the hammer is Lot 35, the colt from Alma’s Angel (Al Maher) offered by Vinery Stud (as agent)
Alma’s Angel is an unraced half-sister to Flemington Group 2 winner Sistine Angel (Testa Rossa) who was also runner-up to Black Caviar in a Robert Sangster Stakes Gr.1 at Morphettville. There’s a rich vein of juvenile form throughout the pedigree which has been developed by WA breeder Warren Gellard.
Headwater has 10 yearlings entered for the Gold Coast Sale and Vinery’s other colt is from multiple metro-winning sprinter Rosenet (Hussonet). Catalogued as Lot 724, he is being offered as agent for breeders Alan Green and Brian Singer.
