Warwick Farm
trainer Greg Hickman looks set for an interesting spring with smart gelding Sportsman
(2001 Classic $8,000) striking top form to win at Rosehill on Saturday. He has always
shown good ability, winning three races and running a remarkable five fourth placings from
just eight starts for prizemoney of $86,600.
Bred at Wakefield Stud, Sportsman is by Supremo (USA) from the Centaine mare
Professionelle, the dam of stakes-winning juvenile King of Prussia.
His grand-dam is the Sir Tristram (IRE) mare Star of the Knight, a former very smart
racemare who was good enough to win the QTC Sires' Produce Stakes and Queensland Guineas.
Hickman has done a super job with both Sportsman and talented stablemate Royal Purler,
who are both by somewhat unfashionable stallions and were purchased for just $8,000 apiece
at the 2001 Classic Yearling Sale.
Sportsman and Royal Purler raced successfully at two, contesting the $610,000 Inglis
Classic, in which they finished fourth and sixth respectively.
