'Everything is on the Table' for Storm Boy

Exciting colt Storm Boy (3c Justify x Pelican, by Fastnet Rock) treated his rivals with contempt in the Group III ATC San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday when resuming from his winter spell.

Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Storm Boy had a brilliant juvenile season winning his first four starts before a troubled third in the Golden Slipper and a fourth in the Sires Produce Stakes when nothing went right.

Tuned up with a couple of recent trials and reunited with Adam Hyeronimus, who rode him to victory in two of his first three starts, Storm Boy led and controlled the race from an inside gate and powered to the line to win by three lengths over his stablemate Mayfair, a son of Fastnet Rock, who is sire of the dam of Storm Boy.

Hyeronimus dropped his whip with 300m to run and Storm Boy surged to the line under his own steam.

Adrian Bott was thrilled with the return of Storm Boy declaring “everything is on the table” for the glamour colt this spring.

“He’s such a brilliant colt and there is so much talent there. I’m glad he’s come back and been able to race in that manner and showcase his talents and that natural speed that he’s got,” said Adrian Bott.

“There is further improvement and we’ve always thought he’ll be better over further and today he showed sustained speed and was able to run them into the ground and that’s the quality colt that he is.

“The Golden Rose (G1 1400m) is first and foremost and has always been an important target for him and there are so many options for him off the back of that. In the back of our minds we have always through a Caulfield Guineas and Cox Plate type of program for him, but the brilliance he showed today could make him an Everest horse dropping back from the Golden Rose, so everything is on the table and no decision will be made until after the Golden Rose.

“That is the immediate target as we would love to get that Group I for him as he is a Group I colt and if we can tick that box it gives us all the options.”

Adam Hyeronimus has now had three rides on Storm Boy for three wins.

“Myself, Gai and Adrian and obviously the whole stable as well, we know what he can do. I was very pleased to be able come here and have him do the talking,” said Adam Hyeroniumus.

“I knew my fate when I cantered off into the gates and we went around lovely and relaxed, in a good rhythm. I knew we were on.

"I thought he jumped relatively well at 1100m. I didn't have to be probably as aggressive as I thought I was going to have to be. I knew once I did find the front he'd drop the bit. He only needed a breather for 100m given the sectionals I know he can run are pretty devastating.

“Once I got that 200m rest and I kicked him up at the top of the straight he just grew again and off he went."

A $460,000 Magic Millions purchase for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing/Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the Coolmore draft as agent for Morning Rise Stud, Storm Boy runs for an ownership group that is headed by the Coolmore partners, who bought into the colt after his Magic Millions victory in January.

The Group II ATC Run to the Rose (1200m) in two weeks time will be next for Storm Boy, who has the overall record of five wins from seven starts earning in excess of $2.7million.

Bred by Rob and Barb McClure of Morning Rise Stud and Coolmore partners, he was foaled and raised at Coolmore and is the first foal from Pelican, a metro juvenile winner by champion sire Fastnet Rock from NZ Horse of the Year and seven time Group I winner Seachange.

Coolmore as agent for Morning Rise sold the second foal from Pelican, a colt by Pierro at Magic Millions this year and he will also be trained by Gai and Adrian after they purchased him for $375,000. He has been named Shangri La Boy.

Pelican produced a filly by St Mark’s Basilica last year and is due to foal again to Justify.