Sentiment pays off for Swettenham

Trust In A Gust has pulled up well after a crowd-pleasing victory in the G1 Toorak Handicap and he will be firing on all cylinders for the G2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley on Saturday, October 25.

“He was a bit flat the day after the Toorak,” managing part-owner David Speechley revealed. “That’s understandable because he had to dig deep at the furlong. But he was back on his game by Monday.”

Trust In A Gust (4h Keep The Faith – Subtle Breeze by Storm Cat) is a tremendous advertisement for the Victorian industry and, in particular, Swettenham Stud who bred and sold him for $45,000 at the 2012 Melbourne Premier yearling sale.

Speechley went back to the source when Swettenham owner Adam Sangster offered Trust In A Gust’s younger half-brother by Equiano at the Gold Coast Magic Millions earlier this year.

“We knew Trust In A Gust was good back then although we didn’t think he would develop into a Group 1 winner,” Speechley admitted. “I jumped straight in after Lloyd Kennewell bought the Equiano colt for $120,000.

“Lloyd has him just about ready to go to the races. The x-rays showed his knees have closed and now we’re just waiting for the rego papers to come back.”

After Equiano, their dam Subtle Breeze foaled a colt by fellow Swettenham sire Master Of Design. “He was special foal from Day 1,” Sangster said. “I sent the mare to Coolmore Stud to be covered by Pierro last year and Peter O‘Brien said her colt at foot was an outstanding type.”

The Master Of Design colt will headline Swettenham’s consignment for the Inglis Melbourne Premier in March. Subtle Breeze foaled a Pierro colt last Tuesday and she will be bred back to Equiano.

Sangster bought Subtle Breeze for $140,000 at the dispersal of his father’s prized bloodstock assets at Keeneland in November 2007. “She’s big and strong, a typical Storm Cat and is a three-quarter sister to Balanchine,” he said. “It’s a beautiful pedigree and I also felt a sentimental connection to her.”

Back in 1993, Balanchine won juvenile races at Salisbury and Newbury by a combined 10 lengths before Robert Sangster sold the filly to Godolphin. “She went on to win the Irish Derby and English Oaks for Sheikh Mohammed,” Sangster explained. “Balanchine was a pivotal part of Dad’s history and now she’s a part of mine.”