Regally Bred Justify Colt Wins Exford Plate

It was a second Australian stakes winner of the week for Justify on Saturday when Dawn Service (3c Justify x Sunlight, by Zoustar) won the Listed Exford Plate.

Racing over 7 furlongs, the well-bred colt trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott was making his stakes debut in the spot after finishing in the top two in his last three starts. The colt jumped quickly from the gate and controlled the race throughout to win by nearly a length at the line.

“He made all from the start. Full credit Gai and Adrian. He's impeccably bred out of a great mare in Sunlight,” said jockey Blake Shinn. "He's a bold going horse, he's a free-running type and it was our plan to make them chase us. He's hard fit and had some good runs under his belt. It was a dominant effort.”

Racing for a partnership that includes Coolmore, Yulong and Go Bloodstock, the colt was a $1.4 million purchase for his trainers and Kestrel Thoroughbreds from the Coolmore consignment at Magic Millions.

The colt is the first foal out of champion mare Sunlight, who was purchased for $4.2 million as a broodmare prospect in 2020. Sunlight was a three-time Group I winner and earned over $6 million on the track before going through the ring.

Sunlight is one of five stakes performers out of the Group III winning Solar Charged, who also produced Group III winner Sisstar, stakes winner Clean Energy, and stakes placed Dio by Zoustar and a Group III-placed runner by another stallion.

The dam of in-demand foals, Sunlight saw her Wootton Bassett colt bring $1.4 million at Inglis Easter this year and has a yearling filly by Home Affairs. She foaled a full sister to Dawn Service last month.

Justify’s Group I placed Air Assault won the Balaklava Cup earlier this week and his superstar son Storm Boy finished third in the Group II Run to the Rose on Saturday as well.