Smart debut winner for All American

It was a case of revolving doors for All American’s promising sons on Wednesday, with one winning well on debut at Geelong and the the other bound for Hong Kong after a brilliant Caulfield win.

Team Hawkes sent The States to Geelong on Tuesday for his debut over 1200 metres on the synthetic track. The 3YO gelding jumped well from gate 7 and settled back in fifth spot until just before the turn when jockey James Winks began urging him forward. The States steadily wound up to a big finish that was good enough to catch Irish Saturday just short of the post with Etymology third.

Watch The States’ debut win here.

Wayne Hawkes said of All American’s progeny after the race, “We have about half a dozen…like them, I’ve always liked them.”

“They take a bit of time to come right, but we had a really good one called Invisible that won his first start at Canterbury and then was one of the favourites for the Magic Millions and all but broke his leg in the race.”

The States is the third foal of the city-winning Redoute’s Choice mare Lodore Falls, a daughter of brilliant New Zealand juvenile Lodore Magic, also dam or grand-dam of Group 2 winners Sonic Quest, Chase The Rainbow & Ms Funovits. Lodore Falls has a 2YO colt named The Nine Mile (by Starcraft) & a yearling filly by All American.

The States was a $135,000 PFG Racing purchase from Arrowfield’s 2014 Magic Millions consignment.

On the same day the Morgan & Widdison stable announced with regret that 3YO Green Card, super-impressive winner of his two starts at Bendigo & Caulfield this winter, has been sold to Hong Kong.

Peter Morgan said, “We were aiming him at some of the better races in the spring and will miss him for sure.”

Craig Widdison added, “We believed that he would have been able to stretch out over a bit further too, so who knows where he could have ended up had he stayed here. He’s such a good-natured horse and he has a really good turn of foot; he should do really well over there.”

There is some consolation for the stable, though: they will also train Green Card’s 2YO brother Green Light, and owner-breeders Bruce & Jill Mathieson also have an All American yearling colt from the trio’s dam Cristallo (by Testa Rossa).

All American already has a promising runner in Hong Kong, 4YO gelding Tianhuang (ex Miss Victoria by Viscount) who won his second start for champion trainer John Moore at Sha Tin last month.