Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Champion Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar is the leading scorer in the history of Test cricket with a tally of 15,921 runs — and his namesake, two-year-old pacer Thelittle Master, is showing wonderful potential and the ability to develop into a champion in his own right.
Thelittle Master was the $1.20 favourite when he scored the accolades from pacing aficionados by bowling his rivals over with a dominant victory in the $20,250 www.Gloucesterpark.com.au Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Thelittle Master, prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond and driven by Deni Roberts, began from the outside in the field of four and burst to the front after 300m before setting the pace and sprinting over the final 400m in 27.7sec. to win by a length from stablemate Thenu Came Along, the $3.40 second fancy.
“We are lucky to have a horse with his ability and great racing manners,” said Greg Bond, who outlaid $40,000 to buy Thelittle Master at the 2022 Perth APG yearling sale on behalf of Team Bond, Rob Gartrell’s The Running Camel syndicate and members of the Gibellini family. The gelding has won in fine style at his past three starts after second placings at three of his first five race starts. He now has earned $28,007 in prizemoney.
“Hopefully, Thelittle Master will be a player in the feature events for two-year-olds this year,” said Bond. “He is a push-button horse. Sitting behind him, he feels like a four or five-year-old. He is an absolute professional.
“We gave all our yearling of last year stable names of cricketers, and obviously Sachin is Thelittle Master’s stable name. Thenu Came Along’s stable name is Virat, named after Virat Kohli, who succeeded Tendulkar as India’s outstanding batsman.