A bold debut at Caulfield on Saturday has put Public Attention (NZ) (Written Tycoon) on a potential pathway towards the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at the same venue in October.
Despite starting at $16 odds, the New Zealand-bred colt was held in high regard by trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr as he prepared to kick off his career in Saturday’s A$150,000 MRC Chairman’s Club Handicap (1200m).
Public Attention justified his stable’s faith, settling three wide in fourth before warming into his work in the straight. He slowly but surely surged past the front-running Band Of Brothers (Omaha Beach) and Azeezle (Exceed and Excel), hitting the lead in the final 50m and stretching out to score by just under half a length from the late-finishing Ndola (Justify).
“The fact that we gave him his first start here today on a Saturday, against some good horses with proven form, gives you an idea of what we felt about this colt,” Price said. “We want him qualified for the better races that are coming up.
“I would be going towards the Caulfield Guineas with him. He’s a beautiful, clean-winded horse.
“He was a bit of a lighter, backward type of yearling when we bought him in New Zealand, and it probably took him 15 months before he started to morph into a real colt. But if you look at him now, he’s a beautiful horse.
“Our pre-race thoughts were that he’s a black-type horse in the making, so that’s the direction we’ll be heading.”
Public Attention was ridden to Saturday’s debut victory by Ethan Brown, who was impressed with his mount’s performance.
“I think he’s well and truly a Guineas horse,” he said. “He’s a very nice colt. He covered a fair bit of ground today, but at the same time, I think he appreciated that bit of room.
“He’s only going to improve. I heard that he was a bit of a handful while he was getting saddled up, but he switched on once I got on his back. He knew what his job was. He’ll definitely take improvement from this and should go on to measure up in better races.”
Racing in the familiar navy blue colours of Coolmore, Public Attention earned A$82,500 with Saturday’s first-up victory. The grey colt was bought by Tom Magnier for $160,000 from Carlaw Park’s Book 1 draft at Karaka 2023.
Public Attention was bred by Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan. He is by Written Tycoon and is the first foal out of the twice-winning Commands mare Legramor (NZ) (Commands), whose dam Katie Lee (Pins) made New Zealand racing history with her unprecedented double in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).
Legramor produced a filly by U S Navy Flag in 2022 and a colt by Tarzino in 2023. She was served by Satono Aladdin last spring.
