2 Studs Courting Hot Colt
Illawarra Mercury
Wednesday January 31, 2007
A MULTI-MILLION dollar bidding war for the services of Court Command has broken out between two Australian studs.
The star colt, who barrier trialled spectacularly in Newcastle yesterday, is believed to be the subject of two offers of more than $5 million - one formal, one not.The owners are planning to race him through the autumn with the Group One Doncaster (1600m) at Randwick on Easter Monday, April 9, his main goal, but he could go to stud in time for the 2007 breeding season.Trainer Darren Smith denied talk of offers, preferring to talk about the 900m trial, which Court Command won by two lengths in 52.21 sec."He's back bigger and stronger and now we have to find out if he is better," Smith said."He has already proven he is a Group One performer (placing in the Caulfield Guineas), now he has to take one more step and win one."Court Command was the first son of well-regarded sire Commands on the market and his wins in the Group Three Up And Coming (1200m), Group Three Golden Rose (1400m) and Group Two Stan Fox Stakes (1400m) had the studs lining up before his gutsy third in the Guineas (1600m).He will get his chance for a Group One victory over a mile in the autumn with the weight-for-age George Main Stakes (1600m) and George Ryder Stakes (1500m), and the Doncaster.Court Command blitzed his last 600m in 32.88 yesterday and should return to racing in the Group Two Royal Sovereign Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on February 10. Meantime, Command Court's shin-sore half brother Cossack Court had to be scratched from this morning's barrier trial in Newcastle and will be spelled for "a couple of months" Smith said.
© 2007 Illawarra Mercury