Vinery graduate Wudang Mountain is on a Group 1 mission after another impressive victory in the McGrath Estate Agents Hcp (1400m) at Rosehill.
The Big Brown colt won first-up over 1200m at Warwick Farm last month and handled an extra furlong like a seasoned professional after being headed in the straight.
“He is a beautiful type and was a standout as a yearling,” trainer Chris Waller said. “He will be much over a mile and today was an encouraging springboard into the carnival.”
Wudang Mountain (3c Big Brown – Meriwether by Catbird) was bred by Vinery partner Alan Green and made $155,000 through the stud’s Inglis Classic Sale consignment last year. He is out of a Brisbane and Melbourne winning mare whose earlier foals include Moonee Valley stakes winner Silversands (Dubleo).
There’s plenty of stamina further back in his pedigree through Sky Heights (Australian Derby), Royal Heights (NZ Oaks) and Mapperley Heights (South Australian Derby).
Wudang Mountain will progress along a traditional spring staying route starting with the G3 Spring Stakes (1600m) at Newcastle followed by the G3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) at Rosehill and G1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick.
The son of Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown is owned by Macau businessman C C Lai who also races the Waller trained stablemates Grand Marshal (G1 Sydney Cup) and another Vinery graduate Delectation (G2 Arrowfield Stakes).
Wudang Mountain’s dam Meriwether died in April 2014 and her final foal is an unnamed 2yo colt by Dubleo.
