The well-credentialed colt Tenenbaum is set to be aimed at more significant targets this spring after confirming his class with a win in the opening race at Canterbury.
A full brother to the 2025 Hong Kong Derby winner Cap Ferrat, the Snitzel colt is unlikely to be stretched to staying distances this preparation. However, trainer Brad Widdup is optimistic that the three-year-old can still make his presence felt during the carnival.
“He’s always shown a hell of a lot of promise,” Widdup remarked. “Unfortunately last time he got crook leading up to the better races and we had to change tack. He went to a maiden and won well and everyone saw what happened in the Clarendon Stakes. He never really got a fair crack. He’s bounced back and he’s in at the right time of year. We’ll try to sneak around the edges and see how far we get with him this time through, but he looks a horse with talent.”
Widdup had second thoughts about running Tenenbaum on the heavy Canterbury track, but his worries proved unfounded as the $2.05 favourite cruised to victory by 2-1/4 lengths over Yangzi River ($10), with Sprightly Affair ($3.70) filling the minor placings.
While no firm race program has been decided for the colt, Widdup is keen to test his capabilities at stakes level, with the Callander-Presnell (1600m) being a potential option.
“He’s still learning. I don’t think I’d want to go 2000 (metres) in the spring, or to a Derby or anything,” he stated. “But there are a lot of good races. The advantage is we can keep them in Sydney a fair while too now, you don’t have to run off to Melbourne and chase down there. We’ll just try to place him along the way.”
In the second race, Godolphin filly Piedmont, a daughter of the highly regarded Guelph, broke her maiden status in the Headwater @ Vinery Stud Handicap (1250m).
Ciaron Maher’s assistant trainer, Jo Gerard-Dubord, indicated that the three-year-old filly is expected to improve further in the autumn but possesses the racing smarts to climb through the grades.
“She’s got a fair bit of quality. She is well bred, Mum was very good, and it’s nice to get a city winner for Godolphin,” Gerard-Dubord commented. “She’s only going to keep improving. Now she’s got her win out of the way, hopefully she can go on to better things.”
Betting markets for the Callander-Presnell Stakes will open soon at leading online bookmakers.
