The race caller posed an interesting question as they were turning for home in the Listed Bracken Ridge Tavern The Phoenix over 1350m at Doomben on Saturday.
“Can he burn the candle at both ends?”
The ‘he’ he was referring to was exciting 2YO colt, Pardoe, who had hit the lead from the jump and maintained a fast clip out front, but now had to contend with the Doomben straight and some fast finishing rivals.
But Pardoe pretty much hit the line as he started and took his tally to four straight this time in from seven starts overall.
An impressive performance to say the least.
Eureka Stud’s Scott McAlpine, whose wife Grania, is a part owner of the colt, said a decision will be made in the next couple of days as to whether Pardoe lines up in Group One BMW JJ Atkins Stakes over 1600m at Doomben on Saturday.
“There’s a number of factors to be taken into consideration,” McAlpine explains. “First and foremost, we’ll see how he pulls up, next we’ll determine what he’s likely to be up against in the Atkins and, third, it might depend on whether we still own him.
“I’ve fielded a number of calls from Hong Kong about the colt since he won his last race (the Listed Oxlade Stakes at Doomben on 20 May) and there were more calls after his win on Saturday, but there’s nothing firm as yet.”
Pardoe was bred by a long-time client of McAlpine’s in Melvin Foo, who raced the colt’s sire, Red Dazzler (Group One Toorak Handicap) and remains a major shareholder in the Eureka Stud based stallion.
“Pardoe is out of the multiple winning Rubiton mare, Pardees, who was among a number of mares we purchased for Melvin when Red Dazzler went to stud,” McAlpine adds.
“She (Pardees) has been to Red Dazzler every season and this is Melvin’s third winner out of the mare after Party Pardee and High Ace (both of whom won four races apiece).
“We originally prepared Pardoe for last year’s March sale on the Gold Coast but he was passed in and so we then decided to put him through the Magic Millions 2YO in Training Sale.
“He surprised us a bit by breezing up in 10.6 seconds so we weren’t in a desperate hurry to sell him after that. After he got passed in there, Grania and Melvin’s wife Suat took ownership, with the intention of getting him ready for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January.
“He ran second at Toowoomba on debut, but then could only finish sixth at Eagle Farm and third on the Sunshine Coast, so he failed to qualify for the race.
“However, it could have been a blessing in disguise because he’s come back stronger than ever.
“Let’s put it this way, our wives are very happy!”
Pardoe is one of seven stakes winners for Red Dazzler, who will stand this season at a fee of $4,400, and is the second individual stakes winner in a little over a month to race in the familiar Eureka livery after Tiyatrolani won the Listed Mick Dittman Plate in April.
