Highland Reel Colt Makes All To Maiden Victory

Highland Premiere (2c Highland Reel - Forthefirstime, by Dr Fong) displayed his sire’s will to win when rallying to justify favouritism at Hamilton on Thursday.

Mark Johnston’s charge made all of the running in the six furlong sprint, a tactic often adopted by his globetrotting sire, and was asked to quicken from two furlongs out. Ridden approaching the final furlong, he dug deep to win by a neck under Ben Curtis.

Owned by Kingsley Park 26 and bred by Worksop Manor Sud, Highland Premiere was building on a fine third last time out. He hails from the first crop of Highland Reel, who won his second start by all of 12 lengths in July of his two-year-old career. Successful in a Group 2 on his only other start that season, the son of Galileo went on capture seven Group 1 contests on three different continents, as a three, four and five-year-old.