Overdue success for Group 1 performer Andalus

Andalus posted a confidence-boosting victory on Tuesday afternoon when he was successful at Kembla Grange.

The Waikato Stud graduate’s only previous success had come earlier this year in a Te Rapa maiden during his time with Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh.

However, the son of Almanzor subsequently showed his staying potential when runner-up in the G1 New Zealand Derby and joined John O’Shea’s stable after running a creditable seventh in the G1 Australian Derby.

He finished fifth in the G1 Queensland Derby in his first appearance from his new quarters and, following a break, was second at Eagle Farm last month before successfully stepping back up to a middle distance at Kembla Grange under Alysha Collett.

“He had all the right form for a race like this, it looked an ideal step for him,” stable representative Jackson Gwynne said.

“In his only other start on a heavy track, he only got beaten a bit over four and a-half lengths in the Australian Derby.”

Andalus was a $420,000 purchase at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for agent Bruce Perry on behalf of prominent owner Lib Petagna.

His dam Genius was successful four times and the Savabeel mare is out of a half-sister to the Listed New Zealand St Leger winner Ritzy Lady and the family of South African Group winners Hancock Park and her daughter Park Lane.

Genius’ Ocean Park filly was sold to Champion Thoroughbreds for A$210,000 at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale and she also produced a Tivaci filly in 2022.