Egyptian Symbol Caps Amazing Day for Widden Sires

On the first serious day of spring carnival action for the new season, Widden Stud sires were in red hot form with Group winners for Sebring (Master Ash), Zoustar (Sunlight), Nicconi (Tony Nicconi) and the late Stratum, who sired classy mare Egyptian Symbol to win the Group III ATC Toy Show Quality at Randwick on Saturday.

The Bjorn Baker trained mare was out of the money first up from a spell in the Group II ATC Missile Stakes following a luckless run, but bounced back in this easier mares assignment to win the 1300 metre sprint by a short head.

Egyptian Symbol led all the way for Tim Clark and showed great courage to hold off a valiant challenge from Zestful, who is part owned by Widden Stud with Sebring mare Nettoyer finishing third to give the trifecta a very Widden flavour!

“She had a class edge and a fitness edge on the field and I can’t believe the price she was,” Baker said.

“I said to Tim to put her where she wants to be and that was the key.

“It was going to take a very good horse to chase her down.

“She is scheduled to be served this spring and I would like to get her earnings up to a million dollars.

“She’s pretty close to that now.”

Bred and retained by Bruce Neill’s Cressfield after passing in at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale, Egyptian Symbol has won seven of 25 starts earning just over $870,000 in prizemoney.

She is the best of six winners from former glamour mare Our Egyptian Raine, a Group I winner in New Zealand, who placed in no fewer than nine Group I races in Australia.

Egyptian Symbol is one of 40 stakes-winners for the much missed Stratum, whose dual Group I winning son Stratum Star stands at Widden Stud and has his first foals being born this spring.