Justify Debut Winner for Nakeeta Jane

A brilliant winner of the Group I ATC Surround Stakes in 2019, So You Think mare Nakeeta Jane is on the board as a broodmare with her first foal to race a debut winner at Canterbury on Friday night for the Chris Waller stable.

Gatekeeper (3g Justify x Nakeeta Jane by So You Think) has been given time to mature and with three previous trials under his belt was well prepared for the 1250m maiden and under a clever ride from James McDonald was able to surge between runners to score a half length win.

Stable representative Zane Jones expected a good run from Gatekeeper.

"We identified Michael Freedman’s horse (third placed The Enchanter) as the one to beat. We knew there was a bit of pace influence in the race so James summed things up, made that horse work to cross and he was really good to the line,” said Jones.

“He’s taken his time to get here, three trials, but his last trial was clearly his best and he’ll take plenty from the experience.”

A $700,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Coolmore draft for G Mulcaster / Chris Waller Racing, Gatekeeper is the first foal from Nakeeta Jane, who was bought privately from her previous owners.

She has two colts to follow by Wootton Bassett and was one of the star mares sent to Kentucky last year to be covered by Justify to Southern Hemisphere time. She is safely in foal and currently on her way home to Australia.