Sebring Makes it a Group Two Double

Mick Kent has had plenty of success with the progeny of Sebring and the Golden Slipper winning sire provided him with an exciting winner at Rosehill on Saturday when Hattori Hanzo scored a thrilling last stride win in the Group II ATC Phar Lap Stakes.

The promising three year-old gelding had won his past two starts at Sale and Moonee Valley, but was easy in the market given his sharp step up in grade.

He rose to the challenge, racing up on the pace for Noel Callow and fighting on with great tenacity to win by a nose.

Kent explained that he ran Hattori Hanzo in Sydney due to “a lack of mile races for three-year-olds” in his home state.

“He would have gone straight to the Alistair Clark otherwise which is over 2000 metres so I took the opportunity to run here,” Kent said.

“I think he’s a nice horse and he’ll probably go to the Tulloch (Stakes – 2000m) in two weeks. It’s a nice progression and we’ll miss most of the a-graders and pick on the easy ones. He’s not likely to go to the Derby.”

A $185,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Dermot Farrington Bloodstock from the Widden Stud draft, Hattori Hanzo runs for an ownership group that includes Grandlodge Racing and Gilgai Farm.

With three wins and a third from just six starts, Hattori Hanzo has won over $150,000 in prizemoney and is the 19th stakes-winner for Sebring, who earlier in the day sired his 18th when Seaburge won the Group II VRC Sires Produce Stakes.

A half-brother to Group III winner Amorino, Hattori Hanzo is the sixth winner for Steal My Love, a half-sister to multiple Group I winner Danendri, the grand-dam of Champion 3YO Filly Faint Perfume.

Widden Stud will offer the current yearling from Steal My Love, a colt by Your Song, as Lot 571 at the Inglis Australian Eater Yearling Sale.

Steal My Love was covered last spring by another of the Widden sires in Stratum.