Embellish 3YO stars on debut

Impulse buy Royal Destroyer has made a stunning debut at Otaki for trainer and part-owner John Bary.Our homebred son of resident stallion Embellish powered home from last into the straight to get in the deciding stride at the end of 1200 metres.

“He drew two and I just said to Sarah (O’Malley) to let him get back because I felt he would be looking at other horses and needed to get into his rhythm and come home,” Bary said.

“He blew the start a bit and that worked in our favour and she rode him quietly. I said if you’re up anywhere near the front he’ll probably blow out as he’s a big, solid sort.”

Bary was at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Weanling Sale in 2021 when he was urged by a member of our Sales and Nominations team to inspect Royal Destroyer.

“Cameron Ring said come and look at this horse and I just bought him on looks. He’s a lovely animal with a fantastic brain and a really nice horse in the making,” Bary said.

He went to $36,000 to secure the first foal of the Stratum mare Markle, who is from the family of the G1 VRC Oaks winner Bulla Borghese.

Markle also has an unraced Ocean Park two-year-old filly named Golden Lining and last season produced another colt by Embellish.