Group 3 Win on Australian Debut for Ready to Run Sale Graduate Mongolian Wolf

Mongolian Wolf (Pluck), who was bought for $200,000 at the 2015 Ready to Run Sale and was Group 2-placed in New Zealand, made a winning start for new connections in Saturday’s A$150,000 Group 3 Mostyn Copper Group Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Randwick.

Originally trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman for owners the Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry, Mongolian Wolf won three of his eight starts in New Zealand and ran third behind Gingernuts (NZ) (Iffraaj) and Charles Road (Myboycharlie) in the Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) at Ellerslie.

The three-year-old contested last month’s Group 1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie, after which he was sold to Australian Bloodstock and joined the powerful stable of Darren Weir.

He made his Australian debut at Randwick on Saturday, and he followed in the winning footsteps of fellow Karaka graduates and star Kiwi three-year-olds Gingernuts, Jon Snow (NZ) (Iffraaj) and Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi).

Ridden by Brenton Avdulla, Mongolian Wolf was handily placed throughout the race and finished it off strongly down the centre of the track to win by a length and a quarter.

Mongolian Wolf earned A$84,750 in prize-money for new owners Australian Bloodstock, Power Thoroughbreds, Mr J A Roddy, Mr J P Hunter, Mr P R Johnson, Mr D S Holt, Mr J P Mcredmond, Get The Dukes Out Racing, Mr E Stefanescu, Mr S P Loane, Mr P J Hill, Mr T J Harty, J and T Smith Racing, Mr S G Rielly, Silver Medal, Mr G I Makauskas, Ms C P Cook and Mr J Lovett.

"Luke (Murrell) and Jamie (Lovett) pick the right horses, they get it right more than they get it wrong and they're getting the rewards," Weir said. "They earmarked this horse three or four weeks ago.

"They said we were going to try to buy him and he'll be a great Queensland Derby horse. The way he won today, you'd have to say he's on track for that."

Bred by Hillside Parade Racing & Breeding Pty Ltd, Mongolian Wolf was offered by Regal Farm at the 2015 Ready to Run Sale and was bought by Rider Horse for $200,000.