3 minute read
A snapshot of the racing at Rosehill.
Sister Moon makes it four on end
Keith Dryden is one of the most experienced horseman in the country but even he has been surprised to see Sister Moon unbeaten after four starts.
The Canberra trainer said the mare, who didn't make her debut until she was a late three-year-old, had shown him little at home, hence the reason he took her to Moruya for her first start last July.
"I said to the guys, we'll go down the coast with her and if she runs a place I'll be pretty happy," Dryden said.
"She just keeps winning.
"She's a great little trier. She never shows me much at home….but she puts in every time."
Sister Moon returned this preparation with back-to-back wins at the Sapphire Coast and Wagga, earning herself a shot at Saturday's Highway Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill.
Given a beautiful run behind the speed by Tyler Schiller, Sister Moon ($4.60) surged through between runners to score by a long neck over Dollar Magic ($3.50 fav) with Acappella Sun ($31) another neck away third.
Sweet win for luckless filly
The past month has been a frustrating one for connections of Sweet Mercy but the filly got her day in the sun with a deserved win in the Midway Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill.
A month ago, Sweet Mercy was disqualified from her minor placing at Hawkesbury when apprentice Zac Lloyd inadvertently weighed in light, then she wasn't suited last start when ridden for speed and tiring.
Trainer David Payne instructed Alysha Collett to find cover on Saturday and it proved a winning recipe with the diminutive filly threading through a narrow gap in the straight and spearing clear to score.
"I said to her (Collett), 'whatever you do, I don't want you in front'," Payne said.
"The other day he rode her upside down. She's a filly you've got to sit off the speed with her.
"She's a smart little filly. She will win her races, she's a tough little girl."
Sweet Mercy ($15) had 1-1/2 lengths to spare over Diamond Diesel ($5.50) with Kyeema ($6.50) third, another long neck away.
Curtis filly earns belated Oaks bid
Let Me Reign will be a late nomination for the Queensland Oaks after her determined win in The Agency Real Estate Handicap (2000m).
The filly had the job of carting the field up to breakaway leader Territory Express and showed tenacity and stamina to kick strongly when the backmarkers challenged, holding on to beat Ring Ahoy by a short head with Fun Sunday another short neck away in a blanket finish.
Co-trainer Cherie Curtis said Let Me Reign wasn't among initial entries for the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m), run at Eagle Farm in two weeks, but they would pay the late fee to run.
"I didn't put her in the originals but I've rung them up, Wednesday is the cut off so she will go as a late nom," Curtis said.
"She tries really hard, she just keeps finding and finding.
"She doesn't have a big sprint but she just keeps working to the line."
Let Me Reign's win held extra significance as she was strapped by Larry Curtis, the eldest son of Cherie's husband and training partner Lee.
The 19-year-old, who is studying physiotherapy, has been helping out at the stables due to a staff shortage and Let Me Reign is the first horse he's looked after on race day.
"He's got a degree going at the moment but he's coming in and helping us in the mornings. That's his first strap and it's a winner," Cherie Curtis said.
Rising apprentice lands breakthrough win
Apprentice Jasper Franklin admitted to wondering if he'd ever ride for champion trainer Chris Waller again when he found himself in front aboard favourite Rediener and in defiance of the stable's riding instructions.
But instead of panicking, the 19-year-old backed himself and his mount to get the job done and Rediener duly provided Franklin with his first Sydney Saturday metropolitan win.
"It wasn't the plan to lead at all. I was told to be midfield and after 100 metres I went, 'what? This will be my last ride for Chris because now I'm in front and it wasn't the plan'," Franklin said.
"I always knew he was the best horse in the race and once I got there, I just knew I had to do my job, rate him properly and not panic on him and get him to cruise up through his gears.
"At the 200 when I hadn't felt anything get to me I went, 'I'm going to ride my first Saturday winner here' and I kept having a cheeky look over my shoulder because I didn't think the fence was the right place to be.
"But when you're on the right horse it makes your job very easy."
Rediener justified his even-money favouritism, cruising to a 1-1/4 length victory over Dream Hour with Waller's assistant Charlie Duckworth confirming the winner could now head to Brisbane for the winter carnival.
Despite Rediener's success, the day was a sombre one for the stable following the passing on Friday of Jack Van Duuren, the popular part-owner of superstar sprinter Nature Strip.
Van Duuren fought a long battle with illness and was remembered by Waller as a "truly remarkable man who lived life to the fullest and was an inspiration to us all".
Quote of the day: "I don't think that was the strongest two-year-old race but as you could see in the yard, he's long, he's lean, he's still a big baby so who knows how far he will get." – Apprentice Dylan Gibbons gives his thoughts on untapped juvenile Celestial Legend.
