Pricey Starspangledbanner Colt Impresses On Debut

Catalyse (2c Starspangledbanner – Moondrop, by Toronado) shaped like a smart prospect when beating some promising opposition at Hamilton on debut.

Richard Fahey’s charge was one of three six-figure buys to line up for the six furlong novice stakes, with the field also including a previously impressive winner. Settled towards the back of the field by Oisin Orr, he made smooth headway from two furlongs out and improved to lead inside the final furlong. Ridden out, he went on to justify favouritism by two lengths, as 285,000gns purchase Motawahij (American Pharoah) finished a promising second on debut.

“We were delighted with that,” Wathnan Racing’s advisor Richard Brown later said. “Catalyse did it very nicely. I haven't spoken to Richard (Fahey) or any of the Wathnan team but that was an impressive performance and an Ascot discussion will certainly be on the agenda.”

The son of Starspangledbanner was bred by Skymarc Farm out of a homebred sister to Kilimanjaro (High Chaparral).