WOW what a return by Bennett Racing 4yo Watadeel at Sandown on Wednesday. The son of Leading sire Dundeel showed an amazing turn of foot swooping down the outside in his first run back since winning at Sandown in March .
Jockey Luke Nolan certainly has built up a good association with the 4yo winning his 2nd race on Watadeel.
Watadeel is a horse that trainer Phil Stokes has always had a lot of time for and has carefully planned his career which now stands at 9 starts 3 wins 2 x 2nds and over 162k in prizemoney.
Phil gave the horse a good chance to upset the odds on fav after some good trials from Watadeel leading up to Wednesday’s race. He was sent out 2nd fav behind the last start winner Bews and conceded race fitness to that horse. Watadeel tracked the fav before easing out in the straight and unleashing a withering burst to hit the front. The fav did push through on the rail to challenge but Watadeel prevailed in a tight finish. Watadeel himself did lay in a little late near the line which probably cost him winning by more.
Watadeel produced some amazing sectionals recording the fastest 800/600/400 & 200m of the day. His burst from the 400-200m was a sizzling 10.64s, a split usually reserved for Gr1 sprinters.
Watadeel finished his last campaign winning a 1600m race in which the place getters form ended up in Group races. He returns here and not only is visually impressive, but his times on the clock were worthy of a Group horse. This horse has always shown good ability but has been hampered by immaturity and probably still is not the finished product. Now a 2 time metro winner, he has also run 4th(unlucky) in a Gr3 over 1600m.
His rating has gone to 75 which gives the team a chance to target a nice BM78 and continue through the grades at this point.
He looks every bit a future Blacktype horse and handled carefully could build a very nice record along the way.
Bred by great farm Segenhoe Stud Watadeel was a 115k purchase from the Stonehouse Draft at the 2021 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale and runs for a large group of owners.
Thankyou to Phillip Stokes and his Team for having Watadeel in such great order for his resumption.