Promising colt Tenenbaum on track for spring targets

A promising three-year-old colt named Tenenbaum has earned the right to be considered for more ambitious races this spring after demonstrating his class in the initial event at Canterbury.

As a full brother to the 2025 Hong Kong Derby champion Cap Ferrat, the Snitzel colt is unlikely to be extended to classic staying distances this season, but his trainer Brad Widdup is optimistic that the colt can still compete effectively during the carnival period.

"He's always shown a hell of a lot of promise," Widdup shared. "Unfortunately last time he got crook leading up to the better races and we had to change tack. He went to a maiden and won well and everyone saw what happened in the Clarendon Stakes. He never really got a fair crack. He's bounced back and he's in at the right time of year. We'll try to sneak around the edges and see how far we get with him this time through, but he looks a horse with talent."

Widdup considered scratching Tenenbaum due to the heavy Canterbury track conditions, but his worries were unfounded as the $2.05 favourite comfortably defeated Yangzi River ($10) by 2-1/4 lengths, with Sprightly Affair ($3.70) finishing in third.

While a definitive race program for the colt is yet to be set, Widdup is keen to evaluate his potential at stakes level, with the Callander-Presnell (1600m) being a notable option.

"He's still learning. I don't think I'd want to go 2000 (metres) in the spring, or to a Derby or anything," he commented. "But there are a lot of good races. The advantage is we can keep them in Sydney a fair while too now, you don't have to run off to Melbourne and chase down there. We'll just try to place him along the way."

In other news, the second race saw Godolphin filly Piedmont, a relative of the outstanding Guelph, break her maiden in the Headwater @ Vinery Stud Handicap (1250m).

Jo Gerard-Dubord, assistant trainer for Ciaron Maher, indicated that the three-year-old filly is expected to improve further in the autumn, but her current race sense will allow her to progress through the ranks.

"She's got a fair bit of quality. She is well bred, Mum was very good, and it's nice to get a city winner for Godolphin," Gerard-Dubord remarked. "She's only going to keep improving. Now she's got her win out of the way, hopefully she can go on to better things."

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