Trainer’s faith in colt rewarded

Warrnambool trainer Lindsey Smith’s rating of Savabeel’s son Storm Watch has been justified at the first time of asking.

He has formed a good opinion of the three-year-old, who posted a stylish debut victory over 1629 metres at Werribee on Friday.

Storm Watch settled well off the early pace before he was urged forward 700 metres from home by rider John Allen and held a sustained run to win in a driving finish.

“He’s obviously a bit new, and a strong rider did the trick; I think he’s a decent stayer in the making,” Smith said.

“I think he might need gelding, but we’ll wait and see about that.”

Allen also believed the Waikato Stud-bred Storm Watch had a bright future over more ground.

“It’s the first time I’ve sat on him, and he did a really good job. He’s a progressive type of stayer,” he said.

The Gerry Ryan-raced Storm Watch was sold on behalf of the Matamata nursery by Stonehouse Thoroughbreds at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, where he was purchased by bloodstock agent John Foote for A$260,000.

The colt is a son of the O’Reilly mare Smart Thinking, who is a sister to the G3 Tasmanian Derby winner Betwixt, whose daughter Provocative claimed the G1 Queensland Oaks, and half-sister to the dual Group 2 winner and G1 Australian Derby placegetter Surely Sacred.

Smart Thinking has an unraced juvenile sister to Storm Watch.