It may have only been a 2YO Maiden Plate on a Monday, but Basquiat’s victory was enough to earn himself a start in Saturday week’s Group 1 J.J. Atkins (1600m).
The Chris Waller-trained son of Snitzel was a $1.9 million yearling purchase at last year’s Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale, and while he hasn’t won that back for connections yet, he got off the board in fine style on Monday morning.
After the scratching of his stablemate Political Debate, Basquiat started a very short $1.20 favourite with online bookmakers in the four-horse field, with jockey Nash Rawiller riding the two-year-old perfectly over 1615m.
In what was an easy watch for punters who took the odds-on quote, Basquiat settled down outside the leader and eventual runner-up, Brookhaven, before taking over halfway up the home straight and having enough in hand to win by half a length.
Chris Waller’s Queensland stable representative Brett Killion said that the colt’s win was “impressive enough” in his third time at the races.
“His two starts in Sydney were good – both on heavy tracks – which we came here today and got another heavy track,” Killion told Sky Racing.
“I thought he just did enough. I thought it was impressive enough – margin wasn’t great, but I just liked the style in which he did it.”
Rawiller said that it was good to get the race out of the way early given the Heavy 8 conditions, while he does expect next Saturday’s Group 1 event to be in more favourable conditions.
The jockey believes today’s win will give Basquiat – a $12 chance in J.J. Atkins betting markets – the confidence he needs to go on with the job.
“He’s a nice horse,” Rawiller said.
“Still a little bit raw. I think he will take a lot of confidence out of today’s win. He certainly did it with a bit up his sleeve.
“He will probably go to Eagle Farm now, which will obviously be a firmer surface, but today’s win will give him a good confidence boost.
“He’s a promising colt. A lot of them are in the same boat – if they haven’t proved their ability, they’ve been aimed to it for a reason, and I’m sure he’s in that mould.”
Likely to join Basquiat in the J.J. Atkins is So You Think colt Political Debate.
After he failed to gain a start in Saturday’s BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm, Waller accepted in today’s maiden but then scratched him on race morning.
Political Debate, who currently heads the betting for the Atkins at $6, will race in Saturday’s Listed event for two-year-olds at Eagle Farm, The Phoenix (1500m).
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