Epaulette recorded his first Stakes winner in impressive fashion on Saturday, 30 December as his daughter Meryl landed the G3 BJ McLachlan Stakes at Doomben.
Settled just off the pace under jockey Christian Reith, Meryl finished the six-furlong contest superbly to hold off the fast-finishing Hopes Eternal and win by three-quarters of a length. Exceed And Excel filly Witherspoon was just a neck further back in third. She will now head for the A$2 million Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic on Saturday, 13 January.
Meryl, a $150,000 purchase at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling sale, was bred by Mr N Hodges and becomes the fourth successful runner out of the winning mare Academy Idol, also dam of Stakes-placed Exceed And Excel filly Miss Idyllic. The mare is herself a full sister to Group winner Cosmic Strike.
Epaulette, a dual G1 winner in his native Australia, has made a very successful start to his stud career in the northern hemisphere, siring 23 individual winners including four who have placed at Black Type level.
Epaulette will stand the 2018 season at Kildangan Stud in Ireland, at a fee of €7,000 October 1, Special Live Foal.
