John Sargent had extra reason to celebrate at Warwick Farm when debutante Photographics (NZ) (Per Incanto) gave him a rare pre-Christmas two-year-old winner.
Not only is the victory timely, it is also a family affair as the filly is leased by Sargent and his wife, along with their children Lucy and Jack.
“I put my kids in this horse and they need the money so I was under a bit of pressure to get the horse out and racing,” Sargent said.
“At least they’ve got some back now.
“We’ve usually got other people in the horses with us, but this is the first time just the whole family. Lucy is here and my son lives in London, so it’s a great thrill for them.”
By proven stallion Per Incanto, Photographics won her only barrier trial and had shown Sargent ability from the outset.
He wasn’t sure how she would handle the heavy conditions in Wednesday’s Highland Race Colours Handicap (1000m) but they proved no issue, Photographics ($4.40) skipping through the ground to score by 1-1/4 lengths over Miss Piera (Pierata) ($3 equal fav) with Husk (Calyx) ($3 equal fav) another half-head away third.
Sargent said Photographics had been a bit fierce early but was relaxing much better in her work and that had translated to race day.
“She showed a lot of early speed when I started to gallop her, but she has started to harness it now and I think she will be a nice filly in time,” he said.
“I think she will just keep improving.”
Photographics was ridden by three-kilo claiming apprentice Molly Bourke, who Sargent felt was a key factor in the win.
Bourke has been in good form in town, parlaying a victory aboard the Gary Nickson-trained Felix Majestic (Smart Missile) at Randwick on Saturday into Wednesday’s Warwick Farm success.
“It’s a big help on the wet tracks, three kilos, and she judged the pace very well there,” Sargent said of Bourke.
Photographics was bred by Jim Barlow and Tony Joyce’s Fusion Bloodstock and Max Brown of Brown Bloodstock, before being consigned by Little Avondale Stud at the 2023 NZB Book 1 Yearling Sale.
While the filly was passed in after failing to reach her $100,000 reserve, she was subsequently purchased by Barlow and leased to long-time friend Sargent to race.
Little Avondale Stud will offer a full sister to Photographics at the forthcoming Karaka Yearling Sales.
Out of the six-time winning Fast ‘N’ Famous mare Los Vargas (NZ), the filly is catalogued as Lot 818 in Book 2.
