Another Godolphin Two-Year-Old Emerges
A combination of speed and tenacity secured Godolphin's fifth two-year-old win of the season in Australia when Tessera took out the Agribaba Plate at Randwick on Saturday, January 16.
A combination of speed and tenacity secured Godolphin's fifth two-year-old win of the season in Australia when Tessera took out the Agribaba Plate at Randwick on Saturday, January 16.
Having his first start, Tessera (John O'Shea/James McDonald) began well and was taken straight to the lead where he travelled smoothly.
When the pressure went on at the 400m, the son of Medaglia d'Oro dropped his closest rivals before being challenged by the runner-up My Country.
Just as it seemed his early efforts would take their toll, Tessera raised another effort, holding on to win by a neck.
While the race was ungraded, the victory has come at the right time for trainer John O'Shea and his team with Australia's rich series of two-year-old feature races on the horizon.
O'Shea predicted further improvement from Tessera who had twice appeared in trials before Saturday's racecourse debut.
"He will improve further for that run and will be back in two weeks for the Canonbury Stakes," O'Shea said.
"Just where he sits among our two-year-olds we'll find out after that."
Jockey James McDonald said the win had plenty of merit.
"He would have gone another furlong and still won," McDonald said. "It was a very good win."
Godolphin has staked strong claims for Australia's major juvenile double, the A$1.5 million G1 Blue Diamond Stakes in Melbourne which is on the agenda of the brilliant filly Calliope, and the A$3.5 million G1 Golden Slipper where the colt Astern is among the top contenders.
The strength of the Godolphin two-year-old team was also shown on Friday when O'Shea produced three two-year-old trial winners in Melbourne.
