“CHEAPIE” GETS OFF THE MARK ON DEBUT

THEY’VE won two Melbourne Cups with imports (Protectionist and Gold Trip), but scoring with a debutante at Newcastle yesterday wasn’t without some significance either.

Whilst million dollar and plus yearlings are the norm nowadays. Australian Bloodstock had to pay only $10,000 at the 2023 Inglis HTBA sale in Sydney for now three-year-old Caltsar, who gave his large group of syndicate owners a quick return when he got off the mark as a $1.24 hotpot.

On the strength of two recent trial victories, Caltsar (Ash Morgan) justified his short quote and picked up $26,625, including a $5625 BOBS bonus.

“He’s definitely one of our cheapest buys in recent times,” said Australian Bloodstock director Jamie Lovett this morning in giving credit to fellow director Luke Murrell.

“Caltsar had a parrot mouth, but there was nothing physically wrong with the horse.

“We thought he would bring a lot more, perhaps 40 or 50 thousand dollars.

“Luke wasn’t deterred and stuck to his guns and got him for $10,000.”

Caltsar was indeed the cheapest of five yearlings Australian Bloodstock purchased at that sale. Only eight lots earlier they went to $45,000 to secure the first living foal of their eight-times winner and Group 1 placegetter Princess Posh (who has been named Poshy’s Girl and is yet to race).

Still getting Caltsar cheaply was the easiest part. For Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle to get him to the races was another story.

“The breaker told us Caltsar needed time, and he was right,” Lovett said.

“He’s definitely a work in progress, and has plenty to learn.

“Caltsar tossed Ash (Morgan) at the crossing after winning his latest trial (920m) on the course proper at Broadmeadow on April 2.

“It wasn’t a strong race yesterday, but a good starting point and great for his owners to get his maiden out of the way.

“Caltsar (by Calyx) will get better with experience and also when he gets over a bit of ground.

“Sometimes you never know when horses such as him will jump out of the ground and win a nice race.”

Meanwhile, Group 1 winning trainer Doyle has several runners at both Royal Randwick and Eagle Farm on Saturday as he zeroes in on a career 300 (296 to date, including 36 so far this season).

Classy filly Harlem Queen (Taylor Marshall) contests the Listed Princess Stakes (1600m) against her own age and sex at Eagle Farm, whilst Hidden Motive (Ash Morgan) in the 2YO Handicap (1100m), along with Deprivation (apprentice Ben Osmond) and Super Bright (Dylan Gibbons), who contest divisions of the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m), are his Randwick representatives.

Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees’ Newcastle double yesterday took him to 96 wins for the current season.

Lees scored with lightly-raced Russian Revolution three-year-old Hawker Hall (Jason Collett, $1.26) in the Maiden Handicap (900m), and So You Think seven-year-old Oakfield Prince (Aaron Bullock), who clinched his seventh victory at $9.50 in the Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap (1500m).

Wyong’s Tracey Bartley gave provincial trainers half of the eight-race program when he won the Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap (1850m) with $6 chance Magicon.

Giving Aaron Bullock a double, the Prized Icon four-year-old defeated Kembla Grange trainer Mitch Beer’s November Falls ($7) and fellow Wyong trainer Kim Waugh’s Buba ($8).

Story John Curtis, April 24, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos