Another Victory for Exciting Stratum Juvenile

A decision to run in the Group III ATC TL Baillieu Handicap at Rosehill on Saturday rather than the $100,000 Wellington Boot on Sunday paid handsome dividends for Stratum gelding Takedown, who posted a stylish victory for the Gary Moore stable.

A last start winner of the Group III Canberra Black Opal Stakes, Takedown was ridden forward by Kerrin McEvoy and relished the 1400 metres to forge clear and win by a length and a quarter.

“He’s got a great way about him this horse,” McEvoy said.

“He relaxes well so he was able to have a rest in the middle stages of the race and then when I asked him he gave me a good kick.

“He’s just very easy to deal with and he will only get better over further.”

The Group I ATC Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick in three weeks is the main aim for Takedown, but his trainer said he wouldn’t completely rule out the possibility of the horse backing up in next Saturday’s $1 million Group I ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes.

“With our champion two-year-old (Vancouver) not running anything’s a possibility,” he said. “He’s a very good doer, a pleasure to train and as you can see by his demeanour he’s a very, very quiet animal.

“I will have speak to the owners but I’d say we’ll go for the Champagne.”

With three wins and a placing from just four starts and prizemoney topping $280,000, Takedown was retained to race by his breeders Widden Stud and Robert and Deb Anderson and is the second winner for stakes-placed Zafonic mare Apamea (GB).

The current yearling from Apamea is a Redoute’s Choice filly that will be offered by Widden Stud at the 2015 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale as Lot 286.

Takedown is one of 28 stakes-winners for Golden Slipper winner Stratum, who is enjoying a great season and holds down a spot in the Top 10 sires by earnings.