Talented three-year-old Wymark will be put on a Classic path after a strong win against older horses in the Quayclean Benchmark 78 Handicap (1900m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
The Michael Freedman-trained son of Savabeel made it three wins in succession with Saturday’s metropolitan victory following a pair of soft victories at Newcastle.
Wymark set a new track record for the Newcastle 1850m when winning his start prior by a whopping 9-1/4 lengths and produced another impressive performance when scoring by just under three lengths on Saturday under a perfect Tommy Berry ride.
Having put in some good performances at two, including a luckless third behind subsequent multiple Group One winner Militarize on debut, Freedman believes gelding the well-related youngster has helped make the horse.
“He has probably surprised me a little bit with how much he has kept improving as I have stretched his races out, as early doors I thought he was a 1400m-miler type,” Freedman said.
“But since we gelded him and brought him back this preparation he has just kept getting better and better.
“It’s exciting. We will have a look at the Tulloch Stakes (Gr.2, 2000m) in two weeks’ time and then see what happens after that.”
Freedman is keen to follow a preparation similar to Major Beel, who finished runner-up in last year’s Tulloch Stakes before landing the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m), which shapes as a natural target.
“It has been an interesting form race this over the past couple of years,” Freedman said.
“Major Beel finished fourth in it last year and then went on and won the Derby and Benaud of John O’Shea’s did something similar (fifth) and ran second in the Derby.
“I think he is an exciting young horse for sure.”
With 54.5kgs on his back, Wymark carried a half-kilo over his carded weight, but it mattered little.
Winning jockey Tommy Berry was not surprised by the ease of the win after an impressive piece of work mid-week.
“I galloped him on Tuesday morning and he just put in one of those staying pieces of work that said ‘you’re ready to go to the next step and put your hand up’,” Berry said.
“He has done it against the older horses today at a half (kilogram over) and he did it so well and was very strong through the line.
“If you can find a stayer with a turn of foot, it’s gold.
“Michael has done a great job taking him through his grades. He gave him a couple of confidence-boosting wins at Newcastle and he is a horse full of confidence and so are we now.”
By super-sire Savabeel, Wymark was bred by Waikato Stud and is out of Pasadena, an unraced O’Reilly full-sister to multiple Group One winner Alamosa. The Savabeel – O’Reilly cross has produced 32 stakes winners, including Major Beel.
Wymark was purchased at the Gold Coast yearling sales by bloodstock agent Mick Wallace for A$200,000.
