SON OF DEHERE WINS THE BAILLIEU

$1.1 million yearling sale purchase Pistols (2c, Dehere-Duelling Girl, by Dayjur) went a long way in repaying the Woodlands breeding and racing operation when taking out the Listed AJC T.L. Baillieu Stakes (1400m) to open up his black-type winning account.

A last start third in the Group Three Skyline Stakes (1200m) behind Golden Slipper favourite Murtajill, Pistols was faced with a 58kg impost and the extreme outside barrier in a field of 16 yet still managed to arrive home first. Put under extreme pressure over the closing stages, the valuable colt found plenty to finish a head too the good of stable companion Switchblade (2c, Fusaichi Pegasus-Dane Ripper, by Danehill).

The seventh most expensive colt bought at the 2006 Australian Easter Yearling Sale last April, Pistols is the fifth foal of Duelling Girl, whose other progeny to race include the Australian stakes winner Keep The Faith (by Sunday Silence). He has now won two of his four starts and placed third in each of his only other appearances with better races beckoning this autumn.

The Baillieu is traditionally the first 1400-metre contest staged in Sydney for each 2-year-old generation and is invariably won by a horse destined for bigger and better things. Indeed, last year’s renewal was fought out by Mentality and Excites, subsequent winners of last autumn's Group One AJC Champagne Stakes (1600m) and Group One AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes respectively.