Well-related New Zealand-bred gelding Affluential made the perfect start to his jumping career at Pakenham on Sunday when winning his maiden hurdle in his first outing over fences.

Affluential is a full-brother to ill-fated 11-time Group One winner Verry Elleegant and Group Three performer Verry Flash, with the latter also showing a talent for jumping, winning two and placing in two of his five hurdle starts to date.

Purchased out of Grangewilliam Stud’s 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $140,000 by bloodstock agent John Chalmers, on behalf of leading Perth owner Bob Peters, Affluential, who is now trained by John Leek, placed in five of his 13 starts on the flat before becoming Peters’ first ever jumper on Sunday.

“That’s a great tribute to Verry Elleegant. Like her, he would run through a brick wall but on the flat he was a maiden,” Peters told Racing.com.

“I said to John the time had come to put him over the jumps as he couldn’t win a maiden. That’s why I sent him over to him from here (Western Australia).”

Peters has been an admirer of jumps racing for sometime and said it was a great thrill to having now won over fences.

“I’ve always loved the jumps and I liked it when I was hunting when I rode,” Peters said.