“A very impressive start to his campaign…and a good enough reason to celebrate today!”
That was the response of Michael Pitt, co-breeder of Not Listenin’tome, four-length winner of the $125,000 MRC Zeditave S. 1200m G3 at Caulfield on Saturday afternoon.
Jockey James McDonald was equally impressed. “He’s one out of the box really. Fresh-up, one trial, that was awesome. They went at a nice clip and he found plenty. He’s a nice horse.”
Not Listenin’tome (Dylan Thomas-Flame of Sydney by Encosta de Lago) was a $270,000 purchase by George Moore Bloodstock from Arrowfield’s draft at the 2012 Inglis Easter Sale and is trained by Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes for champion Hong Kong trainer John Moore.
Michael Pitt explains tells the story of Flame of Sydney. “I bought her as a yearling in New Zealand in partnership with an old friend, Mark Read. She gave me one of my biggest thrills in racing when she won a stakes race at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day, and she then followed it up by coming from last on the home turn to second place in the Group 2 Sandown Guineas.”
Flame of Sydney retired to stud with a record of four wins including the VRC Desirable H. LR, three Group placings and more than $300,000 prizemoney. Both of her first two foals are winners, and Not Listenin’tome looks more than capable of adding to his Group 3 success and second placing behind Zoustar in last Spring’s VRC Ascot Vale S. G1. At this stage he is likely to head to Sydney where the $2.5 million ATC T.J. Smith S. G1 on the first day of The Championships, 12 April, will be his principal target.
Michael says, “Not Listenin’tome is her second foal and he was an outstanding yearling on type. We own Flame of Sydney’s two-year-old Starcraft filly and she is with Bjorn Baker. She’s just coming back in to work and is very promising.
“Flame of Sydney is now in foal to Snitzel – it will take a lot to get us to sell that foal!”
The Redoute’s Choice-Flame of Sydney yearling filly was the Book 2 sale-topper at last month’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale, where she was purchased out of the Arrowfield draft for $280,000 by Power Thoroughbreds.
Michael adds, “If Not Listenin’tome can live up to the hype and win a Group One, it would mark my greatest achievement in breeding – I haven’t managed that to date. Being out of The Flame, as we like to call her, it will be even more special, given the fun she gave us while racing.”
Arrowfield will present a total of 56 yearlings at the two upcoming Inglis yearling sales, 25 in Melbourne and 31 in Sydney.
