Third stakes win for Inglis Easter graduate Wild Planet
Wild Planet's March S. LR win is the 53rd stakes victory by an Arrowfield Easter graduate sold since 2013. (PHOTO: Darren Tindale)
Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes are rarely without a talented Arrowfield graduate or two in the stable.
Think Golden Slipper winner Estijaab, triple Group 1 winner Mentality, dual Group 2 winner Showtime, Group 3 winner Not Listenin’tome, and Listed winners Cordero, Diplomatico, Gold Force and 2YO colt Doubtland, so impressive on debut in Sydney last Wednesday. John Hawkes also guided the career of Arrowfield-sold Forensics among a host of Group 1 winners for the Inghams.
The Stud’s current flag-bearer for Team Hawkes is Wild Planet, a half-brother by Animal Kingdom to Caulfield Guineas winner Super Seth, from the Redoute’s Choice mare Salutations. He was bought from Arrowfield’s Inglis Easter 2017 draft by the stable in conjunction with agent Andrew Williams and, like Super Seth a year later, the price was $280,000.
Beginning with two juvenile stakes placings in the Autumn of 2018, Wild Planet has improved with each campaign, breaking his maiden as a Spring 3YO then winning the VRC Poseidon S. LR in October 2018.
Four consecutive stakes placings followed before his second and most valuable Listed victory in the $300,000 Inglis 3YO Guineas RL at Scone last May.
With the benefit of a long break, Wild Planet resumed in Anaheed’s Rubiton S. G3 last month before a big step up to the weight-for-age Futurity S. G1 where he finished a respectable 4th, less than four lengths from the winner Streets Of Avalon.
That gave punters plenty of confidence to support him in Super Saturday’s $140,000 VRC March S. 1400m LR and Wild Planet did not let them down, scoring by a length from Sirius Suspect and Princess Jenni in a time of 1:22.47, the fastest of four 1400-metre contests on the day.
Wild Planet makes it looks easy and does the punters proud. @HawkesRacing pic.twitter.com/CpOJIozDsg
— Racing.com (@Racing) March 7, 2020
Jockey Dwayne Dunn explained, “He had 54 kilos today coming out of a Group One weight-for-age race. It looked ideal for him.
“He was in the right spot, travelled well and it couldn’t have worked out any better for him.”
Co-trainer Wayne Hawkes added, “He’s a good horse… he’s a winner and he wants to win.”
Wild Planet’s four wins & six placings have returned a tick over $500,000 to his owners led by Rupert & Cheryl Legh and a Sydney Autumn campaign now beckons with the $600,000 All Aged S. G1 on 18 April one possibility for him.
Wild Planet is one of five Australian-bred stakeswinners by Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup star Animal Kingdom, now at stud in Japan. He’s been represented by 35 Australian winners this season, a list that also includes Group-placed filly Game of Thorns, and city winners The Kingdom, Killer Instinct & Zaratite – all, like Wild Planet, sold by Arrowfield.
Salutations, bred on the same Redoute’s Choice/Rory’s Jester cross as Not A Single Doubt, has an unraced 2YO daughter Salutadeel (by Dundeel), a weanling full brother to Super Seth and she is again in foal to Dundeel.
