GAMBLE PROVED A MASTERSTROKE BY PATINACK RACING TEAM
JOCKEY Chris Munce declared exciting colt Trusting ‘a superstar in the making’ after his impressive win in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
“He just wants to win and in the last 100m I knew he had them covered,” Munce said after the Jason Coyle-trained Trusting, $9, beat the promising O’Lonhro, $6, by three-quarters of a length.
Owner Nathan Tinkler’s Patinack racing team produced a masterstroke by throwing Trusting in at the deep end in the $150,000 weight-for-age feature at only his third start. They engaged Chris Munce, who was given permission to ride a half kilo over the allotted 50.5kg. The stable’s No 1 rider, Peter Robl, was unable to make the weight.
Trusting became the first three-year-old to win the Warwick Stakes since Lonhro in 2001. Ironically it was a four-year-old son of that outstanding galloper in O’Lonhro that finished a game second after being heavily backed.
The Patinack team thrust Trusting into the WFA event to try and qualify him for the $1 million Golden Rose at Rosehill next Saturday. Coyle said if he was to prove the superstar the stable believes he is, the gamble had to be taken.
“He is the best horse I have ever dealt with,” Coyle said. “He still does things wrong and the future is all ahead of him. The next couple of days will tell us whether he runs in the Golden Rose but hopefully he does.”
Munce settled Trusting 10 lengths off the lead and made his run as the field topped the rise. O’Lonhro burst to the lead at the 150m but Trusting, with a lighter weight, overhauled him.
Co-trainer Michael Hawkes said the lightly-raced and highly promising four-year-old O’Lonhro was headed to next month’s Epsom Handicap at Randwick.
The unlucky runner of the Warwick Stakes was Racing To Win, which finished fourth. “He had no luck,” jockey Corey Brown said. “He got stopped in his tracks more than once and he got to the line well.”
Queenslander Court Command was the best backed runner in the race firming from early fixed odds of $8 to $4.20 favoritism but after sharing the lead to the turn tired to finish fifth. Jockey Damian Browne said the stallion got ‘too fired up.’
GROUP 2 $150,000 WFA WARWICK STAKES, 1400m
TRUSTING $9 1; O’Lonhro $6 2; Mr Baritone $21 3. Favorite: Court Command $4.2 5th.
QUICK RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR NEW DEER VALLEY OWNERS
THE Chris Waller-trained filly DEER VALLEY provided a quick return for her new owners with a game win in the $125,000 Group 3 Silver Shadow Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
Deer Valley was purchased after her previous start for an undisclosed sum. “I’m not sure what they paid for her but I’m sure it’s cheap now,” Waller said.
Ridden by Daniel Ganderton, the daughter of Lonhro tracked up with cover three wide and finished strongly. Deer Valley, $8, scored by a half head from the $4.6 favorite, Melita, which was game in defeat first-up. Hurtle Myrtle, $16, cut the Queenslander, Kiss Me Katy, out of third.
“She has just gone to a whole new level, which is great for the new owners and she has a good future ahead of her,” Waller said. “She hits the line hard and riding her back is a big help to her confidence. She will now continue through the Princess Series.”
Of the beaten brigade, So Anyway hit the line strongly for fifth and impressed jockey Peter Robl.
GROUP 3 $125,000 SILVER SHADOW STAKES (3YO fillies), 1200m
DEER VALLEY, $8 1; Melito, $4.6fav 2; Hurtle Myrtle, $16 3.
RANDWICK MEETING - EIGHT RACES - ONLY ONE FAVORITE - SWIFT ALLIANCE ($2.7_- WAS SUCCESSFUL.
LONGEST PRICED WINNERS: RAREFIELD & IVORY PEGASUS (BOTH AT $17). Not a good day for punters.