Patience pays dividends with Kerauno

Patience will pay off for record-breaking yearling Kerauno on the strength of his first-up win at Pakenham on Thursday.

The Mick Price trained son of Equiano (Fr) had bolted in on debut at Donald in October and returned with another very impressive victory in the Bruce Clough Mazda Hcp (1400m). “Mick said not to go forward because he wasn’t fit enough to do it at both ends," jockey Craig Newitt said. “He relaxed with cover and I knew there was plenty of horse beneath me at the top of straight.

“He’s only lightly-raced and was doing his best work late. He will go further with the benefit of that run and is in for a good prep.”

Kerauno (3c Equiano - Hidden Energy by Dehere) was bred by Swettenham Stud owner Adam Sangster and sold for $420,000 at the 2014 Inglis Melbourne Premier. It was the highest price paid for a yearling by a first-season sire at Oaklands.

Swettenham shuttler Equiano got him from Group 1 placed mare Hidden Energy. Second-dam Kapchat won the G1 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill.

Hidden Energy’s 2yo filly Kinetic Design (Master Of Design) has already been stakes-placed at Flemington and the mare’s yearling filly by Fastnet Rock made $675,000 to the bid of Pat Carey at this month’s Melbourne Premier.

She has a Redoute’s Choice colt on the ground at Nagambie and was bred back to Swettenham shuttler Toronado.

Equiano can continue his winning run with Valliano in the $250,000 VOBIS Gold Rush at Bendigo this Saturday. The Lindsay Park youngster has opened a $4.80 second-favourite behind Master Of Design filly Creativity ($4.40).

Photo: KERAUNO returns to scale with Dale Smith at Donald