First G1 Winner for Gold Standard – Sheeza Belter Wins JJ Atkins
Exciting young sire Gold Standard has joined the Widden Victoria roster this spring, the former Spendthrift stallion now a Group I producing sire with his oldest progeny just 2YO’s after his star daughter Sheeza Belter beat an outstanding field of colts to win the $1million Group I BRC JJ Atkins at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
A brilliant last start winner of the Group II BRC Sires Produce Stakes, the Peter and Paul Snowden trained Sheeza Belter upped the ante stepping up to 1600m and took on some gun colts emerging triumphant.
She gave her all for Willie Pike to hold off highly rated So You Think colt Political Debate by half a length with million dollar Snitzel colt Brosnan a gallant third.
“She’s always been tough and resilient at home, she cops the work. Everything about her suggested she is going to get to that really good level and here we are today,” said Paul Snowden.
“We’ll get her out and give her a break on Monday, but she’s got a really good spring ahead of her now.”
Consigned by Mt Hallowell Stud to the Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Sheeza Belter failed to make her $50,000 reserve before being sold to Justin Warwick.
She now has the overall record of four wins and two placings from seven starts with prizemoney topping $1.4million.
“Justin Warwick called up out of the blue. We took another horse he had in Perth and set it up in Victoria and had some good success. It stemmed from there really,” said Paul Snowden explaining how the filly came to their stable after winning two of her first three starts in WA.
“He said ‘this filly has just won the Magic Millions over here, we think she’s pretty good, we want you to take her.’
“(Justin) is here today, which is great, so full credit to him. We’re just the benefactors of that.”
Bred by Mt Hallowell Stud, Sheeza Belter is the third winner from as many to race out of the winning Saxon mare Saxabelle, a half-sister to Group III ATC Southern Cross Stakes and Group III Newcastle JC Newmarket Hcp winner Special Reward, Group III WATC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Showy Chloe and Listed winner El Rijes.
With just 39 foals in his first crop, Gold Standard has also sired stakes-placed Golden Queen from his first five runners which also include another winner and a place-getter, so four of his five runners have placed.
The Group II winning son of Sebring stood the first four years at Spendthrift for a fee of $5,500 and will stand at $8,800 this spring.
Gold Standard has zoomed into a close second place on the first season sires list by earnings behind Russian Revolution, but has achieved something no other first crop sire this season has done in siring a Group I winner.
