Grand Syndicates are a relatively new name to the industry and they celebrated on Saturday after scoring their first city winner when the 3yo filly Khutulun (Soldier’s Tale-Great Tradition) was successful at Sandown in the Routleys Bakery Handicap (1600m).

Ridden confidently by apprentice Jye McNeil, the filly was always in the first two in running and she took the lead in the straight defying all challenges to win by a short margin. Trained at Caulfield by Luke Oliver, the filly signalled her talent almost immediately when scoring on debut by 2 ½ lengths at Kyneton in March, before an eye-catching fourth also at Sandown after finishing fast from the back of the field. McNeil has been on board at each of the filly’s three runs and predicts a bright future for her.

Purchased by Grand Syndicates for just $16,000 as a yearling from the Inglis Premier Sale in Melbourne and syndicated to 20 people at just $1,000 each, the filly has a very strong pedigree and is closely related to the VRC Derby winner BLACKFRIARS, suggesting that she might have the stamina to go over a bit further than today’s 1600m. Many of the filly’s owners were on course to enjoy her win, and for almost all of them, it was their first experience of winning a Saturday metropolitan race.  Perhaps the best comment came from syndicate member Stephen Yolland who said after the win, “She’s a very smart horse you know-she could be something special. That’s the best thousand bucks I’ve ever spent”.

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