West of Swindon wins Gr.2 for Qatar Racing

West of Swindon carried the Qatar Racing silks to victory in the Gr.2 Stutt Stakes on Friday, in the process giving late stallion Wootton Bassett his first Stakes winner in Australia. 

What a way to break your maiden! Three-year-old Wootton Bassett colt West of Swindon made all in the Gr.2 Stutt Stakes over 1600m at Moonee Valley in the hands of Ben Melham for trainer Ciaron Maher. 

West Of Swindon was Stakes-placed as a juvenile when runner-up the Gr.2 Silver Slipper Stakes last February when trained by Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes. 

Switched to Maher by his owner/breeders Qatar Racing this season, West of Swindon had again been placed at Stakes level when second in the Listed Exford Plate earlier this month. 

He showed a superb change of gear at the top of the home straight to kick on before winning by a neck from Romantic Encounter. 

West of Swindon had gone through Gold Coast Yearling Sale, knocked down for AU$350,000 from the Widden Stud draft and is now a live hope for the Caulfield Guineas on October 11.