Trainer Annabel Archibald was a happy person after Yoshinobu delivered a first-up win in the Benchmark 78 Handicap at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Yoshinobu, a stakes-placed three-year-old, was sold on the Inglis Digital online platform in April for $180,000 and Archibald convinced existing stable clients to purchase the son of Written Tycoon.
“I slightly put my neck on the line because he went online and I persuaded OTI Racing to try and buy him and quite a few of the owners retained ownership in him as well,” Archibald, who trains in partnership with her husband Rob, said.
“He was always a bit of a quirky colt, but we knew he had good ability.”
Yoshinobu quickly wiped $102,500 off his purchase price for the new and existing owners when coming from back in the field to burst thought the ruck and claim the 1200m contest, his third win from nine starts.
Yoshinobu wins at Rosehill.
“I think he’s a quality horse,” winning rider Tom Sherry said.
“Began nicely and there was a good bit of speed early so we got him into a rhythm, travelled beautifully throughout.
“He picked up quite sharply, the runs opened up and he was tough late.”
Yoshinobu ($6) defeated the fast-finishing Iron Man ($10) by a neck with 1¾ lengths back to Spywire ($2.80 fav) in third after being forced to cover plenty of ground, three wide throughout.
“I actually thought we’d be closer in the run today because he’s such a big striding horse, but it was a good ride from Tom,” Archibald said.
“It was good to see him show a turn of foot.
“He was a bit green late and for a stride I thought he might throw it away, but I think he was surging again at the line if anything.”
There are no ambitious plans in the short term for Yoshinobu, which placed behind Group 1 winner Switzerland in the Roman Consul Stakes earlier in the season, with Archibald content to allow the gelding to chase more benchmark race wins.
“He’s a talented horse I think it he will continue to progress as he continues to learn his craft,” she said.
“I’m not going to throw him into the deep end yet, he’s still only lightly raced so we’ll just let him go through his grades and see where it takes us.”
The above is an excerpt from Clinton Payne’s Racenet article and can be read in full here.