Commanding winner by Widden Valley

Widden Valley sired his first winner when Unique Command bolted in at Gosford on Tuesday.

The Mark Cross trained 3yo gave Kath Bell an armchair ride in the Milk & Honey Maiden Plate (1200m).  “He was four lengths in front for the entire trip and it took Kath another lap to pull him up,” Cross said.  “She reckons he’s a city-class horse and we’ve received a few offers to sell him.”

Unique Command (3g Widden Valley – Tortola by West Point) races for Mark’s wife Alison and the gelding had been overdue to break through.  “He’s still learning and has been very unlucky not to have won by now.  He led everywhere bar the post at Newcastle and was then galloped on at Canterbury.

“We will take him to Scone in a fortnight and then go from there.  I’ve got another young one by Widden Valley and she goes alright, too.”

Unique Command is out of a winning half-sister to Flemington stakes winner Tindal (Testa Rossa) and hails from the family of Group 1 galloper Chattanooga (Scenic).

Widden Valley is by former Widden Stud shuttler Anabaa from G1 VRC Oaks winner Rose Archway.  He cost Chris Waller $900,000 as a yearling and won at Wyong in class-record time before his career was cut short after a placing in the Scone Guineas.

He retired to Hollylodge Thoroughbreds in 2011 before transferring to Moorookyle Park.

Moorookyle Park sire Sharkbite followed up with a winning treble on Thursday with Mordacious (Warrnambool), Shark Mirage (Gawler) and Wired (Pakenham).  And there are good reports coming through about the Sharkbites with Robbie Laing and Allison Sheehan.  He stands for a $3,300 (inc gst) negotiable fee at Moorookyle Park.