Always travelling well in the lead, Prime Candidate (Denman) was game easily holding off a late challenge from Special Reward (Demerit), making it a grandsons of Lonhro (Octagonal {NZ}) quinella.

It was a deserved first stakes win for the tough gelding who had just been too keen in front at his previous outing. An eight-time winner from 26 starts, he is a homebred for Mr P Chudleigh out of his now retired dual Group winner Coolroom Candidate (Mister C {USA}).

A rare six generation outcross, Prime Candidate is a half-brother to the Listed winner Coolring (Sebring), the city winner Kashiwa (Fighting Sun) and three other winners.

Amongst those is Coolroom Candidate’s final foal, the last start maiden winner Cool Encounter (Fighting Sun), a 3-year-old stablemate to Prime Candidate.

Coolroom Candidate is one of seven winners for the unplaced Swalk (Godswalk {USA}), also dam of the dual Group 3 winner Belus (Bletcharm) from the family of stakes winners Nouvelle (Francis Bacon {Ire}), Prime Number (Francis Bacon {Ire}) and Count Grove (Forest Glow {USA}).

A descendant of the acclaimed matriarch Teppo (GB) (Ladas {GB}), Prime Candidate is stakes winner number 17 for his Twin Hills Stud-based sire, winner of the G1 Golden Rose S. as well as three Group races and two Listed contests.

Article courtesy of TDN AUS/NZ