Mungrup Stud homebred Comfysofa returned to form with a vengeance at Ascot on Saturday.
Comfysofa (5g Comfy – Sophie’s Waltz by Poliuto) was sent back to the trials after buck-jumping last month but was on his best behaviour in the TAB Touch Hcp (1400m). The Simon Miller trained gelding tracked front-runners Ten Aces and Rubin Sky and then peeled off their heels to establish a winning lead for jockey Jason Whiting.
“I was going to nominate him for the Railway and Kingston Town Stakes before he bucked – that’s how highly I rate him,” Miller declared. “He’s a high-class horse.”
Comfysofa is owned by Oz Racing manager Bruce Saxild and Mungrup Stud’s Gray and Jan Williamson. He had won a Bunbury maiden on debut in January 2012 and was transferred to Miller this time last year.
“His only loss in five starts for us was when he bucked,” Miller said. “He’s a gentle giant and had never done anything like that before. I don’t like trialling horses on the Monday before raceday but I knew this bloke would handle it.”
His sire Comfy (Lear Fan) was a Juddmonte Farm homebred and he won the 2001 Acomb Stakes at York. His stud career was comprising by injury – he only sired 74 foals before dying at Mungrup in 2008.
Comfysofa’s dam Sophie’s Waltz was pensioned earlier this year and, although there are no fillies from her at Mungrup, the Williamsons have retained several mares from the family.
Second-dam Matilda Waltz (Jevington) foaled a Dick Turpin colt in August. She has been a wonderful producer for Mungrup foaling five winners including G1 Railway Stakes winner Old Fashion (Metal Storm).
Comfysofa completed a winning double for Mungrup stallions at Ascot on Saturday following Monteverdi (Oratorio) in the Auto Classic BMW Hcp (1100m).
– Karl Patterson