3 minute read
Brenton Le Grand looks back on the ten-race program at Royal Randwick and brings you the talking points of the undercard.
Doyle takes out another Midway with Super Bright
It was a case of one runner for one winner for Newcastle-based conditioner Nathan Doyle when his mare Super Bright ($6) took out the opening event.
The daughter of Super One had placed in three previous Midway contests but managed to finally get that elusive victory under a patient steer by hoop Dylan Gibbons. She was too strong for long shot Putt For Dough ($31) by 1-1/4 lengths with Twice As Special ($19) hitting the line hard a further long neck back in third.
The win marked the first for Gibbons since returning from a recent suspension.
"There are a lot worse ways to spend your first day back that's for sure," Gibbons quipped.
Derry Grove dominates the Highway for Dunn and Rawiller
Trainer Matthew Dunn collected his third Highway in the space of five weeks when his lightly-raced gelding Derry Grove ($5.50F) saluted by a ever-widening 4-1/4 lengths over stablemate Centre Bounce ($17), with both gallopers being by Vinery stallion Star Turn.
Jockey Nash Rawiller is no stranger to the five-year-old gelding having won on him at his first ever race start, and sees a bright future for the late bloomer.
"It's taken a while to really start to show probably what he was showing Matty and the staff early. I won his first start on him at Warwick Farm and we thought we've got something pretty good here," Rawiller said.
"He's taken a bit of time to really hit his straps (but) I think he showed today that he's a genuine Saturday horse of the future."
O'Shea's Wonder too Awesome over the mile and a half
Superbly bred mare Awesome Wonder has clearly thrown to her sire with the daughter of Galileo and 2012 Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes-winning sprinter Nechita scoring over 2400-metres.
Trainer John O'Shea was thrilled the five-year-old finally got the set-up to showcase her turn of foot, the small field and slow tempo allowing her to be close enough on the bend to unleash down the outside and score comfortably.
"When she came to us from Europe there wasn't much of her and she's developed into a queen of a mare," O'Shea said.
"She has a great pedigree and a lovely turn of foot."
O'Shea will consult with Awesome Wonder's owners before making a plan but says she still has upside and there are a bevy of options for her.
"She has won two races this prep, it's the first time she's had a scenario to suit. She runs a mile-and-a-half at Randwick, there's plenty of races for her."
Blue Army too strong in the Group 3 Toy Show Quality
The James Cummings-prepared Godolphin mare Parisal proved too slick for them in the Toy Show Quality unleashing a powerful finish to overhaul her rivals in the Group 3 event.
Having drawn awkwardly in gate eight the Astern progeny was forced to sit three and four-wide the trip but still had enough in the locker to hit the line with gusto to make it four wins from her past five outings.
Rider Jean Van Overmeire is not a regular in the blue silks, but was appreciative of the opportunities he has been given.
"It's fantastic, it's a great honour. Especially to ride a few winners for them as well."
Cummings was full of praise for the former South African.
'We gave him one stakes ride last year and he delivered one stakes win, so now he's doubled the quota," Cummings said.
Quote of the day:
"It's rocks or diamonds stuff this sort of tactic because she'll either put in a peak run or she'll run a little bit flat. There were 80,000 reasons why to back her up." - Trainer Joe Pride after he backed up his mare Principessa, winning two races in the space of four days.
