Trainer Aaron Bain is optimistic that Officiate, a gelding who has placed at Stakes level, will prove to be a profitable acquisition in the long term, despite the ongoing task of recouping his purchase price.
The four-year-old, who began his career under Chris Waller’s guidance, is set to contest his first win since relocating to South Australia in Saturday’s Hahn Handicap (1569m) at Morphettville Parks.
Officiate, a son of Justify, has earned over $16,000 in minor placings across his initial two starts for Bain and Ned Taylor. He is now chasing a $27,300 winner’s cheque, and Bain admitted he was surprised to secure the horse for $60,000 via Inglis Digital in May.
“We probably didn’t think we’d be able to get him for that, to be fair,” he stated.
“I knew a few people from Chris’s and reached out and they said he was sound, happy and healthy and he’s been all of that.”
“The way he’s performed in a lot of those class races was going to be good enough to measure up in Adelaide for a couple of seasons and target some better races.”
“There was a lot of upside from our perspective.”
Bain’s purchase price was a mere fraction of the $700,000 Yulong paid at Magic Millions’ 2YO Horse In Training Sale for the horse, who had previously sold for $300,000 as a yearling.
He arrived at Bain’s with only one win to his name, but with placings in the Listed Super Impose Stakes (1800m) and a start in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) last spring, along with the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) earlier this year, his potential is evident.
His South Australian campaign began with a third-place finish over 1250m on July 11, followed by a second placing to Centu Cavaddi over 1600m at Morphettville a fortnight later.
Bain kept the gelding race-fit with a 600m jumpout at Murray Bridge on August 6.
“He’s in a great spot, we’re just drawn a little bit tricky for the Parks track, but he probably brings in a class factor and he should be going close,” Bain remarked.
Officiate drew barrier 10 in the 12-horse field but will move to barrier eight following scratchings, with Jackson Murphy slated to ride. The gelding is currently priced at $7 in the market, with Michael Hickmott’s Extinguish the $4.80 favourite.
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