BRILLIANT Benicio three-year-old Private Label served notice that he could be a force this spring after posting a barnstorming win in today’s AJC Moore Park Handicap (1550m) at Kensington.
The John O’Shea trained galloper finished too strongly for his rivals in a small but strong field which was made up of a number of other spring carnival aspirants.
Private Label’s latest triumph comes hot on the heels of his Warwick Farm victory last month where he swept past the others to score an eye-catching win at only his third race start.
”He is a tough horse and I think everyone has underestimated his ability,” winning jockey Tommy Berry told TVN.
”I hit the front at the 200m which is a little bit too early but he exploded and let down a lot quicker than I thought he would against that class of horse, so I think he’s better than we think.
”He’s still very green, like I said I hit the front at the 200m and he looked around the whole last 200m and still held off them quite easily.”
Private Label is a member of Benicio’s first-crop which has excelled as a group to coincide with the new season. Private Label’s victory is the second this week for Benicio’s first crop following White Light’s success on Monday.
A $40,000 Benicio weanling, White Lights proved too strong for her dozen rivals in the 1150m sprint despite her wide alley and early interference.
The Kris Lees trained filly was purchased by Neil Jenkinson from Vinery’s 2008 National Sale draft at the Gold Coast as is already repaying her owners faith.
”We have always predicted that they would come into their own as late-two-year olds and three-year-olds, which as Private Label and others prove, is now happening,” Vinery’s Conor Phelan said.
