Derby Contender for Mastercraftsman

Champion trainer Peter Moody unearthed a serious Queensland Derby contender at Doomben on Saturday when progressive gelding Upham (3g Mastercraftsman x Gold Class, by Gold Brose) surged late in a keenly contested running of the Group III BRC Grand Prix. A strong pace up front made it hard for race favourite Sadler’s Lake from gate 16, but played into the hands of up and coming stayer Upham. Patiently ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, he improved on seconds at his previous two runs in the Group III Gunsynd Classic and Rough Habit Plate to snare his first Black Type victory in the 2020 metre event by a length and a quarter with another Mastercraftsman gelding Master of Arts (3g Mastercraftsman x Petit Verdot, by Carnegie) in third place . A $100,000 NZB Premier purchase for his trainer from the Wentwood Grange draft, Upham has won three races and placed four times from eight starts earning $178,360 in prizemoney. He is the fourth stakes-winner from top producing stakes-placed Gold Brose mare Gold Class, whose other notable offspring are Group III winner Intimate Moment and stakes-winners Bonnie Mac and Gold Rum. He is the 14^th stakes-winner worldwide for the dashing grey Danehill Dancer stallion Mastercraftsman,, who shuttled to Windsor Park in New Zealand for a number of seasons.