Perovic proving to be the latest bargain buy for Wieland

By Glenn Davis 

Cairns trainer Fred Wieland is at a loss to explain how bargain buy Perovic was picked up so cheaply at an online auction by his son, Neil.

The well-bred Perovic cost only $4,000 at an Inglis online sale and has already returned six-times the outlay from only four starts.

Perovic is a half-brother to Coolmore Stud sire King’s Legacy who was a dual Group 1-winner. 

A son of Redoute’s Choice, King’s Legacy was a star two-year-old of his year in 2000.

He won the Group 1 Inglis Sires’ and Group 1 Champagne Stakes at Randwick before placing behind Ole Kirk in the Group 1 Golden Rose at Rosehill.

“My son, Neil, bought him for $4,000 and I thought he must have lost a leg or had a breathing problem to get him so cheaply,” Wieland said.

“I can’t find anything wrong with him and he seems to be perfectly sound.

“He’ll have a couple more runs and then go out for a spell and I’m hoping he’ll develop into a Cups horse up here next winter.”

Perovic will be looking for win number three for Wieland when the gelding tackles a heat of the Magic Millions Rob Koch Memorial FNQ Up and Coming Stayers series at Cairns on Thursday.

The father-and-son training partnership of Trevor and Peter Rowe will saddle four of the seven horse field in the 2100 metre feature.

Perovic started with Melbourne trainer Danny O’Brien and only won a maiden at Moonee Valley in 2023 before being moved on to Murwillumbah trainer Matthew Dunn.

However, he managed only two wins for Dunn at Murwillumbah and Lismore before being sold to join Wieland’s stables in Cairns three months ago.

Now a rising five-year-old, Perovic has started four times for two wins and a third for Wieland and is coming off an easy two length win in a 1900 metre Benchmark race at Cannon Park on July 15.

“Sean Cormack is riding him and he should beat these on his last run,” Wieland said.

The Up and Coming Stayers series is an event that provides horses with lower ratings an opportunity to race over staying trips and look to eventually qualify for NQ Cup races later in the year.

The series does not culminate in a Final, but there is an owner, trainer and jockey bonus based on points accrued.