Bright Future for Vancouver’s Latest Winner

Progressive colt Exhibition (2c Vancouver x Haiku, by Encosta de Lago) opened his winning account at just his second start when scoring a tenacious victory in the open juvenile event (1500m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Ridden by Andrew Adkins for Richard and Michael Freedman, Exhibition was one of the first to come off the bridle, however he answered Adkins every call in the straight to worry out the favourite Angel Helena to score a short half head won.

“He is going to go on to bigger and better things,” Adkins said.

“He might need a bit of headgear to switch him on a bit. I was positive early but when I brought him back all he wanted to do was relax.

“A mile to 2000 metres should be right up his alley.”

Co-trainer Michael Freedman said the stable will up the planning for Exhibition in the spring.

“He is a very tough colt, still very much a work in progress,” Freedman said.

“He’s done a very good job to go straight from 1200 metres to 1500 metres on a pretty heavy track today.

“He is a bit different to his half-brother Japonisme, who was obviously a speed horse, this bloke looks as if he will get plenty further.

“Richard and I will have a chat about it, but we might give him a bit of a break now and aim at some of the better staying races in the spring.

“He was a $75,000 pass-in at Karaka so I’m glad to have had a chat with Coolmore after the sale.”

Purchased by James Bester Bloodstock for $80,000 when offered by Coolmore Stud at the 2018 MM National Weanling Sale, Exhibition failed to make his $100,000 reserve when consigned by Hallmark Stud to Book 1 of the 2019 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale.

A half-brother to Choisir’s Group I Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Japonisme, Exhibition is the fifth winner from six to race out of the Encosta De Lago mare Haiku who was purchased by Coolmore Australia / China Horse Club for $580,000 2016 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale.

Haiku is a half-sister to the Group I New Zealand Oaks heroine Tapildo and Group II STC Silver Slipper Stakes winner Plagiarize.

Exhibition is the seventh first crop winner for Vancouver with five of his six winners in Australia being metropolitan winners, the exception of Group III ATC Breeders’ Plate runner-up Postcode, who is one of three stakes performers for the son of Medaglia d’Oro.

Vancouver also had a recent impressive debut winner in South Africa when Mount Pleasant scored at Turffontein for Mike de Kock.

Vancouver stands at a fee of $30,250 this spring.