Growing Empire is at the cutting edge of Australia’s new-season 3yo crop and he has the potential to grow into the next Group 1 winner from Vinery Stud.
Announcing his return to spring racing after a four-month spell, the Zoustar colt scored a value-added victory in the McNeil Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday. He settled in the three-wide line behind Astapor (Tassort) and then flew past the leaders in the straight to win eased down from Cosmic Force pair Wonder Boy and Stay Focused.
It was a straightforward if not effortless win for Mark Zahra who had the time to take a hold and take a look at the inside screen. “They don’t win much better than that,” he said. “I thought if he was going to get beat this prep, it would be today but there was no need to worry out there.
“He gives you an unbelievable feel. He’s a very good horse and it was good to see him win without the blinkers. He’s always there for you and his turn of foot is electric.”
Growing Empire was bred by prominent Vinery client Patrick Hodgens with Vinery partners Neil Werrett and Steve McCann and was sold by Vinery (as agent) to Yulong Investments for $700,000 at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Champion sire Zoustar got him from Miles Of Krishan (Snitzel) who had been a $500,000 buy for Hodgens at the 2017 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. She paid that back immediately with an I Am Invincible filly that made $1.4million at the 2021 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Named Dancing Alone, she won at Flemington and Caulfield at the 2023 Melbourne spring carnival and isn’t far away from a black-type strike following an encouraging fourth in the ATC Toy Show Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m) at Randwick last Saturday.
Miles Of Krishan continues to be given every chance at stud with a yearling filly by I Am Invincible and a filly foal by Zoustar.
Meanwhile, the McNeil Stakes completed a black-type hat-trick for Growing Empire that had commenced during an autumn 2yo prep in the St Albans Stakes (LR, 1200m) at Moonee Valley and SA Breeders’ Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m) at Morphettville.
It was also the catalyst for a quick reaction from bookmakers ahead of the VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr.1, 1200m) at Flemington on November 2. His pre-post price was slashed from $11 into outright favouritism at $4.60 to emulate Vinery homebred Exceedance who won the stallion-making Coolmore in 2019.
Vinery’s latest elite-winner came at the back-end of last season with All Too Hard filly Stefi Magnetica in the BRC Stradbroke Hcp (Gr.1, 1400m) at Eagle Farm
Trainer Ciaron Maher revealed Growing Empire will have two dress-rehearsals down the famed straight course ahead of the Coolmore. His first look at Flemington will be in the VRC Poseidon Stakes (LR, 1100m) on September 14 followed by the VRC Danehill Stakes (Gr.2, 1100m) on October 5.
“He’s a very exciting colt and very, very progressive,” Maher declared. “He spelled well at Yulong but you could see today there’s still a lot more to come. That’s why we wanted to get him to the races. He needs that bit of experience and hopefully, with a couple of looks down the straight, he will be right to go in the Coolmore.”
