The Headwaters experienced an eventful week starting with the record-breaking $700,000 sale of his mare Mileva on Thursday before culminating with the sensational demotion of his sprinter Goldsborough (NZ) as outright winner of the Bat Of Out Hell (850m) on Saturday.
Goldsborough was judged first past the post in the XXXX Bat Out Of Hell at the Sunshine Coast, however, after a subsequent enquiry, stewards amended the placings to declare the feature sprint a dead-heat between the 5yo son of Headwater and La Amigo (Squamosa).
Correct weight had been delayed to allow connections of La Amigo to review the photo finish. “I didn’t know if he had won or not,” Goldsborough’s trainer Jack Duncan admitted. “I couldn’t really tell from where I was so thought it might have been a dead-heat.”
Goldsborough races for a partnership managed by Paul Piccone and he’s earned $330,000 since they bought him from Gerry Harvey’s Baramul Stud for $45,000 at the 2019 Gold Coast Magic Millions. “He’s so consistent you always know what you’re going to get,” Duncan continued. “I thought it might have been too short today but he did really well to get there just in time.
“I’m not sure where we go now but there’s sure to be something for him over the Winter Carnival.”
Goldsborough’s last win was at Doomben on July 9 just a couple of hours before Mileva won the Sir John Monash Stakes (Gr.3, 1100m) at Caulfield. She was knocked down for $700,000 to Kia Ora Stud at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale at Riverside Stables.
Jockey Nikita Beriman revealed it was her first ride in an 850m race on Saturday. “They went like Bats Out Of Hell alright but he found another gear and was really in for the fight. Jack’s horses are going really well at the minute and I will stick with Goldsborough wherever he heads next.”
Headwater sired the Bat Out Of Hell dead-heater from Trista Rossa (Testa Rossa) who had won three races up to a mile around the Victorian provincials for trainer Tony Noonan. She foaled him at Harvey’s Westbury Stud in New Zealand and followed up with Tuchel (Redwood) who has won four races to date for trainer John Size in Hong Kong.
Trista Rossa had major residual value through her Stakes-winning dam Altrista (Sir Tristram) in the 1997 SCTC Anniversary Cup (LR, 2400m) and second-dam Alynda (Nassau) in the 1988 ARC Railway Hcp (Gr.1, 1200m).
Headwater (Exceed And Excel) will stand for a $13,200 service fee at Vinery this year alongside Ole Kirk ($55,000), All Too Hard ($38,500), Exceedance ($33,000), Star Turn ($27,500) and Casino Prince ($5,500). All fees include GST and are payable on a live foal. For bookings or further information, contact Adam White (0414 800 918) or Harry Roach (0401 970 006).
