Smart three-year-old colt Wolfy scored the narrowest of victories when coming deepest of all to land the Sharp EIT Solutions Handicap (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday under a driving ride by Jamie Mott.
The son of Tivaci is prepared by Nick Ryan and looked set to get the better of his rivals but runner-up Furious kicked back late to make the connections of Wolfy second-guess themselves.
“I went the (early) crow, so there were a few anxious moments there,” Ryan said.
“It’s good to get him back on track. Things didn’t go right for him first-up in stakes company but we gave him three weeks’ between runs, got him right and got the job done.”
Wolfy finished ninth in the Gr.3 Zeditave Stakes (1200m) last month won by Raikoke.
“He is still very immature. He was on the wrong leg for half the race and didn’t corner too well but I think he is going to get better with racing,” Ryan said.
“We have had a high opinion of him. He ran in a Caulfield Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) and we are still figuring out what his go is.
“I think 1400m might be the stretch of him, but we will figure it out as we go.
“He has got those two things between his legs and I know we have only won a BenchMark 70 but he is going to improve a lot from today.
“I think he will get through the wet. We will see how he pulls up. There are some options in Sydney and we will have a board meeting on Monday.”
Ryan purchased Wolfy for A$280,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale where he was offered on behalf of breeder Waikato Stud by Sledmere Stud. He is now a three-time winner from eight starts, with a further two placings.
Wolfy is out of the Savabeel mare Popular, who has produced two more colts by Tivaci since Wolfy, and her dam It Girl is a sister to the late multiple Group One winner and successful sire Sacred Falls.
