Pluck has sired first-crop winners in Australia, NZ & South Africa and he opened up another front with Neo’s Classic in Singapore on Sunday.
The David Kok trained gelding was well-rated in front by Mark Ewe before running away to three-quarter length victory in the War Affair Maiden Stakes (1400m).
“I gave him a good break after his last run as a two-year-old,” Kok said. “He was still young and I thought he needed more time to grow out and mature. He’s come back stronger which made me think today would be ideal first-up.
“We’ve stepped him up over a bit of ground for more experience and he will be even better over a mile.”
Pluck is based at Vinery and his 13th first-crop winner is the first foal of She’s Number One (Commands), a Wyong maiden winner for Champion Thoroughbreds on Australia Day 2011.
Second and third dams – Lady Natasha (Real Quiet) & Celebrity Princess (Palace Music) – both claimed black-type in Perth and, another remove further back, My Brilliant Star (Copper Kingdom) won a G1 AJC Oaks.
Neo’s Classic cost $22,000 from Scone-based Crowningstone at the 2015 Magic Millions National yearling sale and he has banked AUD 45,405 for Neo’s Spirit Stable. “I was quietly confident after some encouraging signs in his work,” Ewe said. “He’s come up nicely after the break and I was still sitting quietly on the corner. We were able to control the pace quite easily and it was a nice win even though he got a little tired at the end.”
Pluck (More Than Ready) stands for a $9,900 (inc gst) fee at Vinery. Next weekend is the anniversary of his memorable Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf victory when he hurdled a fallen horse and balanced up with a last-to-first broadside at Churchill Downs.
