3 minute read

A snapshot of the support races at Rosehill on Saturday.

Trapeze Artist off to flying start at stud 

Former top sprinter Trapeze Artist has produced his first winner as a sire with the Bjorn Baker-trained youngster Disneck showing the benefit of race experience to take out the opening event on the Festival Stakes program. 

The colt didn't have much luck when midfield in the Golden Gift on debut but put his rivals to the sword in Saturday's Elitegroup.Sydney Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill, coming from second last on the turn with a sweeping run to down Kimochi by 1-1/4 lengths. 

Baker is tempted to press on to the $500,000 Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Randwick next month with a longer-term view towards the $2 million Inglis Millennium (1100m) on February 11 and a possible autumn carnival campaign. 

"It was a good ride by Rachel (King). There was a bit of speed on and he was able to relax and switch off, which is the sign of a good, natural horse," Baker said. 

"There is a half-million dollar race at Randwick in a couple of weeks for Inglis graduates so we will have to have a look at that. 

"But going forward, there is obviously another Inglis race (Millennium) and you may have to look at the autumn too. 

"He is a nice horse with a great attitude." 

While getting an early-season two-year-old winner will be a boost for first season sire Trapeze Artist, it holds equal importance for the Baker stable. 

Sydney's juvenile ranks are rich in talent so for the Warwick Farm horseman to produce a pre-Christmas metropolitan winner, along with a Golden Gift runner-up in Infatuation, is a significant achievement. 

"It's crucial and it's something I've been devoid of for the last few years," Baker said. 

"We had Infatuation that was a good second in the Golden Gift and is going to the Magic Millions and now this guy is a headline act of his own." 

Nursery rematch for Disneck and Kimochi 

If Disneck does head to the Inglis Nursery he will face a rematch with Saturday's runner-up Kimochi and that filly's trainer Gary Portelli is confident she can turn the tables. 

Making her debut, the daughter of Brave Smash had to change course a couple of times in the straight before eventually getting clear when the race was over and hitting the line nicely to get within 1-1/4 lengths of Disneck. 

Portelli, who captured the Inglis Nursery in 2016 with She Will Reign, has a healthy opinion of Kimochi and says she will take vast improvement from the race day experience. 

"She will go to the Inglis race in two weeks," Portelli said. 

"She did show good speed today and was bolting on the turn. I liked the way she travelled to the corner and she took him (jockey Sam Clipperton) there under a hold. 

"But she had problems getting a clear run and her momentum was stopped twice in the straight. 

"She was beaten by a race-fit horse, but if she had got clear at the top of the straight, it would have been interesting." 

Mission accomplished for comeback galloper 

There was a time when Mark Newnham wondered whether Mission Phoenix would make it back to the races, let alone the winner's stall, but the six-year-old has now managed both. 

After showing early promise with a Group 3 placing in the 2019 Grand Prix Stakes, Mission Phoneix suffered a tendon injury that sidelined him for more than two years. 

It was touch and go whether the horse would race again and after a winless preparation during the autumn and winter, the patience and perseverance of his connections have been rewarded with the horse claiming victories at his past two starts at Canterbury and again at Rosehill on Saturday. 

"He had about two years off after his three-year-old career with tendon issues and getting back to the races was a feat in itself," Newnham said. 

"We had a couple of false starts but it was a matter of patient trainer, patient owner. 

"We scanned his tendons a couple of times after a bit of light work and it wasn't quite ready to push the button. Now, he's a tough, sound horse that is enjoying his racing." 

Newnham said Mission Phoenix ($4.40) struggled on the wet tracks last campaign but had gained confidence getting back on firmer surfaces. 

The horse was perfectly rated in front on Saturday by in-form apprentice Tyler Schiller, kicking strongly when eventual runner-up Worthily ($6) loomed with a challenge to pull away again near the line and score by a half-length. 

Newnham has no grand plans at this stage but that could change if Mission Phoenix can land a hat-trick. 

"I will just try to keep him winning. If he won again or ran really well, there is always a Summer Cup and 2000 (metres) is as far as I want him to go now," he said 

Marsabit upsets fancies to win Country Classic 

Danny Williams' faith in Marsabit has yielded a rich reward with the gelding landing a boilover win in the $150,000 Country Classic (2000m) to give apprentice Amy Mclucas her most significant success. 

The quirky gelding was put up for sale by his original owners earlier this year and Williams bought him back, believing the five-year-old still had something to offer. 

"I had confidence he was a horse that needed to get to the right trip and in the right race," Williams said. 

"I didn't want to see him go." 

Marsabit found the right race on Saturday, McLucas managing to get him cover despite his wide draw before unleashing him with a strong sprint in the straight. 

In a busy finish, Marsabit ($41) got the verdict by a half-length over Dream Runner ($4.80 fav) with Beckford ($41) close up in third. 

The victory was McLucas' first metropolitan win outside Highway Handicap races and Williams was full of praise for her ride. 

He was also self-critical and felt he was to blame for the horse's unplaced effort over a mile at Newcastle last start, but rectified his error to have Marsabit spot-on for Saturday's Rosehill assignment. 

"I thought he could run a drum at Newcastle and I just had him a little bit fresh. It was a trainer mistake," Williams said. 

"He pulled a bit hard, he wanted to hang and he was a little bit disappointing when he let down. 

"But his work on Monday, I thought it was winning work. 

"We've aimed him at this race for a few weeks so certainly it has paid dividends." 

Quote of the day: "Gai and Adrian have put in a lot of time and a lot of effort and work into him and it's very pleasing to get a result like this for them." – Tim Clark was rapt to deliver trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott a Group 3 win aboard Dajraan in the Festival Stakes.