First winner for Al Samer

FEBRUARY 1, 2010: Al Samer was represented by the first winner of his stud career when Custom Design scored in a 2YO Country Plate staged at Tamworth over 1000 metres.

Having her first race start, Custom Design was saddled-up by trainer Paul St Vincent and ridden to victory by veteran jockey Robert Thompson sporting the pale blue and orange colours of Emirates Park director of finance, Rajesh Upadhyaya.

Custom Design was bred by Emirates Park Victoria and sold as a weanling for $14,000. She is the sixth live foal of a New Zealand-bred winning daughter of Bletchingly named Amalee (NZ), and hails from the celebrated Group 1 winning family of Diamond Shower (VRC Oaks-G1, etc) and Hartshill (STC Golden Slipper S.-G1, etc).

Al Samer is the latest sire-son of Redoute’s Choice to be represented in the winner’s enclosure. A stakes winning 2- and 3-year-old, his first-crop comprised of over 90 foals, of which only seven have so far faced the starter. His other runners this season include the Sydney barrier trial winner Al Sumai.