No Leniency at Ascot

Champion first-season sire Danehill Express kick-started his second crop with precocious colt Lenience at Ascot on Saturday.

Lenience (2c Danehill Express – Oh Mercy by Marooned) had his rivals off the bit a long way from home and, although tiring in the final furlong, had enough is reserve to win the Westspeed Plate (1000m) on debut.

“He’s a nice horse and we used his speed to make them chase,” trainer Neville Parnham said.  “He was entitled to get tired after trialling at Lark Hill earlier this week.  It was hot and humid down there but he handled the back-up without a problem.”

Lenience is bred to get over more ground.  He is a younger half-brother to the Perth stakes performers Mercury Halo (Don’t Say Halo) and Storm on By (Metal Storm) and.  They are from a sister to LR Helena Vale Cup winner Oh Sister and she is the dam of G2 Sandown Guineas winner Sender (Keeper).

Lenience cost $54,000 from Mungrup Stud at the 2012 Perth Magic Millions and he races for a syndicate that includes Colin Loxton, Mike Fagan, Peter Bell and Paul Cooke.  “He’s a laid-back horse and I think he will eventually settle in his races and then finish off strongly,” Parnham said.  “He looks a good buy for the owners – with a Westspeed bonus, he earned $55,000 today.”

Danehill Express stands at Mungrup Stud and there have been 12 individual winners to date from his first crop.  He has 23 yearlings entered for the Perth Magic Millions next month including 14 from Mungrup.

– Karl Patterson

LENIENCE
Pictured before the 2012 Perth Magic Millions