October 23 – The Group Three MRC Norman Robinson Stakes run over 2000 metres at Caulfield on Saturday was won in exciting fashion by classy colt Get Square, a $500,000 purchase from the draft of Yarraman Park Stud at the 2005 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Prepared by in-form trainer John O’Shea, Get Square showed genuine staying talent to win after jockey Darren Beadman took off on him mid-race when the pace slowed to a dawdle.
Sustaining a long run, Get Square proved tenacious at the finish in holding off the classy filly Ulfah to win by a neck.
“He drew four and ended up three deep, so I had no option but to go to the front. I backed off a gear, then quickened again from the 700m. He showed plenty of courage,” said Beadman.
By Redoute’s Choice from the Thunder Gulch mare Let’s Get Even (USA), Get Square was bred by the Perrin brothers and prepared and offered for sale on their behalf by Yarraman Park.
A sensational colt for a first foal, he comes from a family steeped in US Black Type including the Group One winner Stephen Got Even and his two-year old full sister Grand Merger, who won her first stakes race at Belmont on the weekend.
Much admired at the sale, Get Square fetched $500,000 to the bid of English agent Grant Pritchard-Gordon of Badgers Bloodstock, who was also instrumental in the purchase of champion filly Miss Finland.
Get Square is raced in similar ownership to Miss Finland with Arrowfield, Planette Thoroughbreds and Belford Productions joined this time by Gazal Thoroughbreds.
Get Square has won two races and placed twice from six starts earning $109,500 and will now head to the Group One VRC Victoria Derby over 2500 metres on Saturday week at Flemington.
Yarraman Park also had a good result with $470,000 Easter filly Apercu, which made a pleasing debut when finding the line well for second behind Goldam in the two-year old event at Randwick on Saturday.
By Encosta de Lago from the Zabeel mare Making Fey (NZ), the Clarrie Conners trained Apercu will undoubtedly be better suited over longer distances and her effort was commendable.
Stakes-placed Making Fey is a permanent resident at Yarraman and had a cracking colt by Fasnet Rock this spring and her yearling filly by Exceed and Excel has been entered for the 2007 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.