3 minute read
A look back at some of the talking points from the Winx Stakes meeting at Randwick, including Showmanship's Show County Quality win.
McLucas celebrates first metro win
The first Group 1 day of the season was a memorable one for Goulburn trainer Tash Burleigh and apprentice Amy McLucas with Pokerjack ($19) giving the pair their first metropolitan win.
McLucas, who ventured into the racing industry about four years ago after honing her horse skills at pony club, was thrilled to land the milestone after a difficult period battling weight issues.
"I can't explain it. It's amazing," McLucas said.
"I've had a hard few weeks. I've struggled weight-wise, a little bit mentally. It's just been a little bit tough.
"I've just been at Randwick for three months and I've come back to Goulburn and I'm trying to get a few things right and it has worked out today."
Incredibly, Pokerjack was also Burleigh's first city winner.
While stable stalwart Al Mah Haha is a regular visitor to town and has run a handful of placings, his only city win came early in his career under Chris Waller.
Cummings not panicking over Duais setback
Duais was a surprise scratching from the Group 1 Winx Stakes after recording an irregular heartbeat following her Saturday morning gallop.
Trainer Ed Cummings said it was the second time the mare had suffered from the affliction, which also presented shortly after her ATC Australian Oaks placing last year.
Given she then went on to capture the Queensland Oaks, he doesn't believe the issue will present a major roadblock and plans to re-route towards the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield for her first-up assignment.
"Best case scenario is that her heartbeat returns to normal within 24hrs, in which case she will be nom'd for Memsie Stakes at Caulifeld on the 27th August," Cummings said in a tweet.
Peters' raider puts on a Show
Former smart Perth galloper Showmanship posted his first win since returning from a serious leg injury, unleashing a dazzling finish to run down Prime Candidate in the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m).
Showmanship won seven of his first eight starts before suffering a suspensory injury that sidelined him for more than 18 months and owner Bob Peters was thrilled to see him back in the winner's circle.
Peters said they would take it a race at a time with the seven-year-old but expected him to return to trainer Danny O'Brien's Victorian base to continue his spring in Melbourne.
"He had a suspensory injury. As it turns out it was a harder one to overcome than a normal tear so we had to do a lot of work with him on the farm," Peters said.
"It was good to see him come back.
"He will go back to Melbourne now. We will look at a race in a couple of weeks' time."
Zapateo sets an early spring marker
Zapateo, a half-sister to top sprinter Osborne Bulls, has signalled her spring carnival intentions with an emphatic return in the Toy Show Quality (1100m) at Randwick.
The mare closed out her autumn with a feature-race win at Scone and appears to have gone to the next level this time in.
Trainer James Cummings says the Sheraco Stakes will be among the options for her next start if they decide to extend her to 1200m.
"She has been flying along in her trackwork and we were extremely confident," Cummings said.
"Zapateo is Osborne Bull's half-sister and a young mare by Brazen Beau and gee, she looks like she has got lots of upside. I don't think she's done with yet.
"If we take her to the Sheraco (Stakes) next then she's going to have to step up and get the job done over six furlongs and run it out strongly but she's a fast mare and she's got a very impressive turn of foot."
Quote of the Day: "I can't speak highly enough about him because he's just an absolutely beautiful horse. Lucky I've strapped myself to him," James Mcdonald after Anamoe's Winx Stakes victory.
From the Stewards' Room: Stewards upheld their own protest in the Toy Show Quality, lodging the objection on behalf of connections of Boomnova. Fifth past the post, Boomnova was promoted to fourth with and fourth past the post Smirnova relegated to fifth for causing interference in the straight.
