Proven Thoroughbreds celebrated its first winner with trainer Kerry Parker when COPPER MOON shed his maiden on debut at Kembla Grange on Tuesday.
The 1000m Class 1 field was depleted to just four runners after overnight rain downgraded the track to a heavy (9).
We decided to roll the dice and start COPPER MOON and like a lot of grey horses, the striking son of SUPER ONE relished the conditions, winning by 1.3 lengths for rider Jeff Penza.
Not many first starters take on class 1 company, let alone win, but the home track advantage against only three rivals proved too good an opportunity to pass up.
Kerry’s astute placement of COPPER MOON netted $25,325 in prizemoney after the BOBS bonus.
It was the best possible start to the 3YO’s career, though his journey to Tuesday’s victory had been anything but straight forward.
Originally trained by Joe Pride, the gelding had struggled to adapt to the hustle and bustle of Warwick Farm.
In the more peaceful surroundings of Kembla, COPPER MOON appeared to have turned a corner, becoming more settled in his work and less nervous around other horses.
In many ways it was appropriate that Kerry’s first winner came in these circumstances because it served to highlight not only Kerry’s horsemanship skills but also the benefits of having a horse trained in a small provincial stable.
It has been a gala last 12 months for Kerry and his team with THINK IT OVER winning the $4 million Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes and HOPE IN YOUR HEART progressing from a benchmark 60 rating to a bona fide Group horse.
Appointed by Proven Thoroughbreds following the retirement of Goulburn trainer John Bateman, Kerry is a fantastic training alternative for our horses in NSW with the weekly running of $120,000 Midway races and the annual $1.55 million Provincial-Midway Championships Series.
COPPER MOON, a $75,000 purchase from the 2021 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, was Proven’s 6th winner for the month of January
At the NZ Karaka Yearling Sale this week, Proven and Kerry Parker joined forces to buy the ALMANZOR x DANAHERE filly for NZ$160,000 from the draft of Cambridge Stud.