Debut Juvenile Winner for Sebring

At this time of year it’s not unusual to see two year-olds taking on older rivals and Gary Portelli’s decision to go that way with a first starter for Sebring paid dividends on Tuesday at Bathurst.

A neatly made chestnut, Seeking Asylum finished off her race with real determination to nail the leader John D’Non right on the line to win by a short half head with more than three lengths back to the third horse.

A $100,000 Inglis Premier purchase from the Widden Stud draft for Elite Thoroughbreds, Seeking Asylum is the second winner for Asylum Seeker (SAfr), the Champion 2YO Filly of her year and winner of the Group I Greyville Golden Slipper.

Bred by Tara Farm, Seeking Asylum is a good result for her breeders as her dam Asylum Seeker has kept going back to Sebring and has a yearling filly and weanling filly by the sire and will foal to him again this spring.

Seeking Asylum is the eighth juvenile winner this season for Sebring, whose star son Criterion will be seen in action at Royal Ascot next week.