Sale toppers are usually out of reach of most owners, but Saturday’s Listed Hilton Hotels And Resorts Stakes winner Palentino cost trainer Darren Weir just $85,000 when selling as the top lot at the 2014 Tasmanian Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
A son of Teofilo, Palentino travelled wide in the run, but chased hard down the Flemington straight to defeat Godolphin’s Demonstrated by over a length.
The baldy faced chestnut is another prime example of the outstanding quality that can be sourced from Tasmania breeders, just like this season’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup winner Mongolian Khan and multiple stakes winner The Cleaner
The fifth stakes winner of the week for Weir after the earlier successes of Mahuta, Prince Of Penzance, Scarlet Billows and Dandino, the victory of Palentino capped off a week that Weir will never forget.
“It’s been an amazing week and it’s been an amazing day today again,” Weir said.
“It’s taken a bit of coming down from, but that’s got us back up there again. That was amazing.”
Bred by Mrs J Watson and sold through the draft of Macleay Thoroughbreds, Palentino is the first stakes winner out of the Palace Music mare Palatine Hill, who was also trained by Weir during her career.
Palatine Hill’s current two-year-old is a filly by first season sire Master Of Design named Bella Francesca and is in the yard of Tasmanian trainer Bill Ryan, having also been purchased from the Tasmania Yearling Sale.
