Absalon has become the latest ‘unwanted’ horse to win a black type race when he crossed the line first in yesterday’s Listed Dalrello Stakes at Doomben.
Now racing for Jason McLachlan, the talented colt is owned by prolific racehorse owner Gerry Harvey.
He was set to be sold at the Magic Millions sale in 2010 but the $45,000 reserve price wasn’t met.
From then he’s had two starts for two wins and returned more than $20,000 over what was being asked at auction.
It’s not the first story of its kind this week with two winners on Stradbroke Day following a similar path.
Main event Stradbroke Handicap winner Sincero was listed at just $8,000 as a yearling and Queensland Guineas winner Torio’s Quest not a lot better at $15,000
McLachlan is probably the man who’s befitted form this the most scoring a horse he otherwise wouldn’t have had the chance to train.
“Claire Bird (Harvey’s racing manager) always said she would send me one of Gerry’s to train, but she was just waiting for the right one,” McLachlan said.
“This is the right one all right.”
Absalon was a $13 hope in the race and unwound strongly down the straight after genuine early pace.
Jockey Eddie Wilkinson was the man in control and says while buyers had overlooked him, he rated him a good horse form the start.
“He had a couple of trials early on. They were too short for him but just the way he did it in those trials was really nice,” Wilkinson said.
“We thought he would win his first start against the older horses and he beat them.
“He didn’t really know what he was doing and he’s still learning now.
“We put the blinkers on (yesterday) and he travelled well through the run. He knuckled down and hit the line really well and I think the further he goes the better.”