Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Prominent WA owner Jim Giumelli was keen to purchase the first foal out of Red Hot Roxy at the 2022 Nutrien yearling sale in Melbourne before he decided to cease bidding at $90,000.
He had already bought three other colts for $100,000, $95,000 and $40,000, but he was urged to change his mind by his wife Wilma, and like a good husband he took her advice and resumed bidding before the Always B Miki colt was knocked down to him for $100,000.
That colt is now a four-year-old gelding who races under the name of Quinton, who gave an impressive performance to win the $23,000 Westral Shadetrack Outdoor Blinds Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I wanted to buy Quinton because his dam Red Hot Roxy had a good reputation as a winner as a young horse,” said Giumelli. “I pulled out of the bidding, but my wife kept signalling to keep going.
“I named the youngster Quinton after a bull I had purchased from Vasse breeder Ken Macleay (who is better known as a highly successful all-rounder for the WA cricket side and a member of four Sheffield Shield winning sides who also played for Australia in 16 limited overs matches).”
Red Hot Roxy was retired to the breeding barn after racing 32 times for 13 wins, eight placings and $162,550 in stakes. She was a brilliant two-year-old in 2016 when she won at four of her seven starts, including the Group 1 Sales Classic. Her three wins as a three-year-old included the listed Sales Classic.
Quinton, trained by Mike Reed, was a $10.70 chance from the No. 5 barrier on Friday night when Emily Suvaljko did not bustle him early while the polemarker Auckland Jet ($18) was setting a fast pace before Gary Hall Jnr sent the $1.70 favourite Hes Never Been Beta to the lead with 1200m to travel after that pacer had raced three wide early.
Quinton was tenth approaching the bell when Suvaljko sent him forward with a spirited three-wide burst which took him to the front in the final stages to win by a half-length from Hes Never been Beta, rating 1.56.
Quinton now has earned $59,451 from five wins and nine placings from 27 starts.
“I got a bit of luck,” said Suvaljko. “I thought the favourite would be vulnerable, considering the amount of work he had done, and we got a lovely track up.”
Quinton’s stablemate Dark Eyes, who was purchased for $95,000 at the 2022 Melbourne yearling sale, was a $14 chance from the back line in Friday night’s event, and he caught the eye when he was eighth at the bell before flashing home with a late burst to finish fifth.