Maggie Leaves No Excuses

The tried and true combination of trainer Roger James and jockey Vinnie Colgan joined forces to post a stylish juvenile win at Te Rapa on Saturday with a son of WS stallion No Excuse Needed. Under The Sun was making his second raceday appearance and showed pleasing improvement following his debut run for fourth.

“I won on him at the trials and was quite impressed by him,” said Colgan, who has enjoyed multiples Gr 1 successes with the stable over the years. “He went a nice race first-up after doing a bit of work and we expected a bold run today.”

Under The Sun drew wide on Saturday but Colgan was able to get across early and settle one off the rail. He took an inside run from the 700 metre mark to improve and the gelding produced a sustained finishing run to win by half a-length.

A $15,000 yearling now races by James with Gerard Peterson, he is out a half-brother to the Singapore winner Urban Dancer (O’Reilly). Their dam is the winning Maroof mare Sleaking who is from the family of the multiple Gr 1 winner Bounty Hawk (Mackinnon Stakes, Underwood Stakes, Western Mail Classic, Australian Derby, VRC Derby).