THE handsome face on the headline photo belongs to the second most expensive colt by champion sire More Than Ready sold in 2014. He’s a two-year-old named Wisaam (NZ) and he made an impressive winning debut in a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1000m on sand at the Vaal, Thursday.

A $650,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the draft of Broadwater Thoroughbreds in 2013, Wisaam was knocked down to Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He’s the fifth individual winner bred from the mare Diamond Like, a daughter of champion sire Danehill  and  a smart stakes winner herself.

Wisaam, impressive manner of victory. (JC Photos)

In Australia, More Than Ready has built up a great record with Danehill line mares. Of his nine Australian Gr1 winners, five are out of mares by Danehill or a Danehill son, which bodes well for Wisaam, a nice-actioned sort with plenty of scope.

Wisaam came home two lengths ahead of a moderate-looking field, but there was plenty to like about the manner of his victory and jokcey S’Manga Khumalo had to do little more than steer him in the direction of the winning post.

“I think the way Wisnaam won will prove to be more significant than the runners he beat,” said Mathew de Kock on Friday. “He’s a very nice sort, we’ll have to see how he goes in stronger company but he looks like one who will make good progress.”

The stable doesn’t often send fist-timers to post on sand, but Mathew said there was no significance in that. “Wisaam was due to run on turf at the Vaal last week but the meeting was abandoned due to rain. The More Than Ready offspring are versatile, he should go well on turf too.”

Ahlaam, an armchair ride.

The progeny of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalia Al Maktoun’s former Dubai sand star Asiatic Boy, have shown an expected preference for the surface and three-year-old filly Ahlaam (ARG), flattened her opposition in a MR76 Handicap over 1600m later  in the day.

This time Johnny Geroudis had the privilege of an armchair ride and perhaps just as well, because Johnny would have lacked his usual strength having been the last man standing after a celebratory boat trip in Dubai last Sunday.

“Ahlaam is improving and she enjoys the sand. She stays well, but the drop in trip from 1800m to a mile probably suits her best on this surface,” Mathew commented.