Listed Win For Karaka Graduate Bassett (NZ)

On-pace galloper Bassett (NZ) (Savabeel), who was purchased at the 2014 Premier Sale for just $60,000, scored the first black-type win of his career when he dominated Friday night’s A$120,000 Listed Sweeney Estate Agents Abell Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.

Trained by Mick Price and ridden by apprentice jockey Beau Mertens, Bassett sat outside the leader before effortlessly cruising to the front 500 metres from home. The four-year-old gelding asserted his superiority down the short Moonee Valley straight, drawing away by two and a quarter lengths and stopping the clock at 1:10.65.

The win was Bassett’s fourth from 17 career starts and pushed his prize-money earnings to $299,900 – almost five times his purchase price at Karaka.

Bred by Qatar Bloodstock, Bassett is out of the stakes-placed Captain Rio mare Fledgling (NZ) – a half-sister to the Group 1 winner and sire Fully Fledged (NZ) (Align).

Bassett was offered by Westbury Stud at the 2014 Premier Sale, where former trainer Peter Moody secured him for $55,000. He now races for a large group of owners, made up of MJ Scheele, VM Stackhouse, S Hillier, Mrs H Hillier, PG Green, AW Bruhn, SW Bruhn, MC Bryant, Mrs CMH Bryant, VYK Ip, JW Daniels, Mrs SM Ridgway, M Maskell, TN Porter and WS Pelchen.