Our first-season sire Grunt (NZ), who enjoyed a strong week of results at Karaka, logged his first-ever winner on Thursday evening when the 2-year-old Veight won by a fetching 5l at Pakenham. Trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy at Ballarat, the colt blew away his rivals over the 1200-metre sprint.
Veight is a Yulong-bred son of the dual Group 3-winning mare Neena Rock (Fastnet Rock). He was sold to McEvoy Mitchell Racing and Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) for $220,000 at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Tony McEvoy, speaking to the trackside Racing.com broadcast after the win, said he was expecting Veight to get out much further than 1200 metres, based on his pedigree. The trainer added that the R. Listed Inglis Millennium would likely come up too soon for his colt, but there were plenty of other targets in sight.
“I think he’s a miler, but that was an easy watch and a lovely watch,” McEvoy said. “He had great swagger (as a yearling) and when you see him walking around out here, he’s a beautifully balanced horse. He’s got a great honesty about him and great movement, and that’s what tipped me over the edge (at the sale).”
Veight was the third runner to the track for first-season sire Grunt following Magic Stella at Wyong in mid-January and All At Once, in the Yulong colours, at Sandown on Australia Day.
Article courtesy of TDN Australia New Zealand
