Dream Showdown set-up for Azzopardi

Befuddle first preference, but McGaw a handy back-up in The Showdown.
There is no doubt about who David Azzopardi will be cheering loudest for in today’s $1 million The Showdown at Caulfield.
Azzopardi operates Dream Thoroughbreds, which will be represented by the John Sadler-trained Befuddle in the race that carries a $550,000 winner’s cheque.
But the syndicator and breeder won’t be able to help checking to see where a rival runner is in the 1200-metre event.
Azzopardi bred, and sold, one of the favourites for the 1200-metre event, the David and Emma-Lee Browne-trained Mcgaw.
“I’m obviously supporting Befuddle because she’s in my colours, but if McGaw wins I wouldn’t be too upset,” Azzopardi said. “Obviously, from a pocket point of view, Befuddle is going to be a good result for me with a winner’s prize of $550,000 and it’s a great opportunity for the owners. “I know where she’ll be, she’ll be on-pace, and I expect McGaw will be out the back, but I’ll be keeping an eye on both of them, that’s for sure.”
McGaw is by I Am Immortal, who carried the Dream Thoroughbreds colours to wins in a Blue Diamond Preview and Prelude, out of the Librettist mare Niki Piki Milo, who Dream Thoroughbreds secured for just $16,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Azzopardi sold McGaw through the Stonehouse Thoroughbreds draft for $14,000 at last year’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, which was naturally less than what he was after, but McGaw has already added to the value of his mare. He won brilliantly on debut at Pakenham, a month before this year’s Premier Sale, where McGaw’s sister sold to Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young for $160,000, which is a record for a product of I Am Immortal.
Niki Piki Milo last year had a filly by Supido who has been entered in the Inglis’s Australian Weanling Sale, which will be held in May, while she is back in-foal to I Am Immortal.