Debut Win for $2.6Million Sunlight Sister
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott unleashed $2.6million Zoustar filly Clean Energy at Warwick Farm on Wednesday after scratching her last week due to an awkward barrier and while the heavy track was less than ideal today it did not stop the sister to champion filly Sunlight making a winning debut.
Super impressive in two recent barrier trial wins, Clean Energy was ridden like a good thing by Adam Hyeronimus and responded in kind. She travelled smoothly up on the pace, but off the fence and gave a good kick in the straight surging away from her rivals to win the 1000m maiden by a couple of lengths eased down.
Clean Energy lives up to her $2.60 million price tag and shows her rivals a clean set of heels on debut! It looks as though it's sunny days ahead for the full-sister to Sunlight! 🌞@YulongInvest @GaiWaterhouse1 pic.twitter.com/D15mBgwJcy
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 8, 2024
“I don’t think we saw her best there today, I think she’s a better filly on top of the ground, but we backed her class to get the job done,” said Adrian Bott, who indicated a stakes race at Scone would be her next assignment or possibly a trip to Brisbane for a Listed race.
Adam Hyeronimus was also thrilled with the win.
“We expected that, the only worry was the soft track,” said Hyeronimus.
“I felt that she’s got that good attribute where even though she wasn’t really comfortable in it, she was good enough to adapt and get through it.
“Everything she does, she does easily and is such a pleasure to deal with. Even going to the gates and behind the gates she stands there quietly like a horse that has had 20 starts and that is why she is going to be a very good filly.”
A $2.6million Magic Millions purchase for Yulong from Widden Stud, Clean Energy is a full sister to Champion Filly Sunlight, a triple Group I winning $6.5million earner and Group III winner Sisstar being the eighth winner from nine foals to race from super producing Group III winner Solar Charged.
She was the second highest priced yearling at Magic Millions in 2023 and was the highest priced yearling filly sold anywhere in Australia for that year.
The yearling full brother to Clean Energy sold at Inglis Easter for $850,000 to China Horse Club / Newgate / Go Bloodstock / Trilogy and Solar Charged is now back in foal to Zoustar after missing to him in 2022.
Solar Charged has produced a number of expensive yearlings with three year-old Kandinsky Abstract topping the list at $3million. He has won two of seven starts for champion trainer Chris Waller, but will be doing his future racing as a gelding following a below par showing in the Listed ATC South Pacific Classic on April 13.
