Lonhro's superb G1-winning son Denman took another step towards the Australian Guineas on Saturday, when recording an emphatic victory in the Listed Wellington RC Stakes at Caulfield.
Second-up from a spell after a thrilling victory in the Zeditave Stakes on Australia Day, Denman headed to the barriers as a dominant odds-on favourite.
Jumping from the outside barrier, jockey Kerrin McEvoy let the three-year-old go around the field to take up the running. Never under pressure at any stage of the race, the Lonhro colt was clicked up rounding the home turn and once he reached the 200m mark he asserted his dominance; ears pricked, ambling away for a three-and-a-quarter-length victory over Carrara.
The winner of eight of his 10 starts and over a million dollars in earnings, Denman races in the maroon and white silks of Sheikh Mohammed and proved a class-above his rivals over Caulfield’s 1400m.
When questioned after the race, trainer Peter Snowden said, “It was really good to see him relax terrific today. He was in his own comfort zone and when they presented the race to him like that, there was no way they were going to beat him.”
“He beat some smart horses today but the bar keeps going higher and higher now. The others have to worry about their own and I have to worry about my bloke.”
Continuing his run towards the G1 Australian Guineas on March 6, Snowden indicated that Denman would have his next start in the G2 Autumn Stakes in a fortnight where he will clash with Cox Plate winner So You Think.
Out of the Vain mare Peach, Lonhro was bred by Woodlands Stud and is a half-brother to G1 winner Preserve (Canny Lad) and the dual Listed winner Rio Osa (Canny Lad). Peach has a yearling full brother to Denman and is also back in foal to Lonhro.
Currently the leading third-season sire by both earnings and number of winners, Lonhro is the only stallion of his crop in the top ten on the general sires’ table.
