Champion European first-season sire Lope De Vega opened his Australian account in style at Seymour on Thursday.

His well-bred colt Snoopy scored a four-length victory first-up in the Mangalore Park Plate (1209m).  “He won as he liked,” jockey Dwayne Dunn said.  “We haven’t really opened him up at home but he’s done everything right.”

Snoopy (2c Lope De Vega – Oomph by Flying Spur) is a Team Hawkes trainee for owners Neil Werrett and Max Whitby after changing hands for $180,000 at the 2014 Gold Coast Magic Millions.  His dam Oomph was a four-time stakes winner in Sydney and her Red Ransom filly Thump has won Group races in Sydney and Melbourne for trainer Kris Lees.

Oomph was part of Patinack Farm’s dispersal last year and made $110,000 to the bid of Cathy Irwin.  The mare was bred to All Too Hard on an early September cover.

Lope De Vega (Ire) won the 2014 European first-season premiership with Group 1 colt Belardo the leader among his four stakes winners in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

A classic winning son of Shamardal, he has shuttled from Ballylinch Stud to Patinack Farm since 2011 but will have a new home in the Hunter Valley this year.