By Craig Kerry
Rosehill trainer Gerald Ryan is eyeing the $1 million Golden Rose (1400m) with Grand Eagle in the spring after the Farnan colt lived up to jockey Nash Rawiller’s expectations on Saturday with a last-to-first victory.
A $7.50 chance in the 1100m two-year-olds race to open the Randwick card, Grand Eagle was taken back to last but rattled home to swamp top fancies Akaysha and Hidden Motive in a half-length win. It was a repeat of his last-start effort at Hawkesbury.
Nash Rawiller rides Grand Eagle to victory on Saturday.Credit: Getty Images
Ryan said Grand Eagle, part-owned by retired champion trainer John Moore, would be spelled ahead of bigger spring goals.
“Nash rode him work before he went to Newcastle and put a huge wrap on him,” Ryan said.
“John was thinking about taking him to Hong Kong and Nash said, ‘don’t take him to Hong Kong, he will be winning good races in the spring’.
“There’s a Golden Rose and those races. His main aim this time was going to be the Baillieu, and he was doing things wrong so we said to John: ‘Just forget about that and just educate the horse first’.
Nash Rawiller at Randwick on Saturday.Credit: Getty Images
“He was just thinking too much. He used to settle, and I put blinkers on him at Newcastle, and they backfired; he just over-raced.”
Rawiller made it a double with a brilliant front-running ride on Punch Lane ($6), which produced the biggest win of the day in the Benchmark 100 handicap (1500m).
The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained five-year-old raced keenly early from gate 15, and Rawiller allowed him to roll to the lead.
After pinching a breather, Punch Lane gapped his rivals to win by more than four lengths. The stable was looking at backing him up again next Saturday in the Hawkesbury Cup (1600m).
“He’s led before and won, but I just thought he needed wetter [track],” Anthony Freedman said.
“But he’s come on from last week, and he’s backed up before and won.
“I might throw him in at Hawkesbury even because it will be wet, I think. Whether he can take three runs in a row, I don’t know. We’ll probably nominate and see what happens.”
Ben Osmond (orange silks) take Memoria to victory at Randwick.Credit: Getty Images
Lees considers Target for Memoria
Newcastle trainer Kris Lees was thinking of a shot at the Takeover Target Stakes at Gosford on May 10 with Memoria after she led all the way to win on Saturday.
Under Lees’ apprentice Ben Osmond, the five-year-old mare stole a gap early in the straight before finishing three-quarters of a length ahead of Pajanti. It was a 20th city success for Osmond, whose claim now drops from three kilograms to two.
“It was a really well-judged ride, he knows her well,” Lees said.
“She’s very honest. We’ll keep trying to place her right and at some stage, give her a chance in better company.”
Lees is eyeing a benchmark race at the Coast meeting at Gosford in two weeks, but said the listed Takeover Target could also be an option.
Hyeronimus proves the difference
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable looks set to test “dork” Les Vampires over even more ground after the four-year-old Pierro gelding won at 1800m in Benchmark 94 level on Saturday.
Now a winner four times in 12 starts, Les Vampires stepped up from 1500m and was strong late to hold off Lees-trained Zaphod.
Adam Hyeronimus gave Les Vampires an economical run just off the pacesetters.
“He’s a nice horse, but he’s just very quirky,” Hyeronimus said.
Les Vampires was a winner at Randwick on Saturday.Credit: Getty Images
“I’m very good friends with the owners, and I’m allowed to say this, but I labelled him as a dork.
“I want to get left, he wants to go right. He’s not a hassle, but he just does little things that are a bit annoying.
“The biggest thing with him is to find that rhythm, get him comfortable.”
Stable representative Neil Paine said the rise in distance “was the worry”.
Beer sets Sunrise for Scone
Kembla trainer Mitch Beer will have a crack at the listed Denise’s Joy Stakes at Scone on May 17 with bargain buy Sunrise after she easily claimed the 1100m benchmark 72 Midway Handicap on Saturday at Randwick.
Rachel King riding Sunrise wins the Midway race on Saturday.Credit: Getty Images
A $45,000 buy at the 2024 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale after one win in six starts in New Zealand, Sunrise took her earnings in Australia past $100,000 with the front-running victory under Rachel King. It came after a seven-length demolition first-up in a Kembla class one.
Laurie extends Sydney streak
Matt Laurie’s golden autumn in Sydney continued when Miss Icelandic booked her spot in the listed Ortensia Stakes with victory at Randwick on Saturday in her first run back for the Victorian trainer.
Miss Icelandic ($10), first-up and having her maiden NSW start, overhauled Passeggiata late by a half neck under Chad Schofield in the benchmark 78 handicap (1000m).
Laurie, who won three group 1s from three starts at the Sydney autumn carnival with Treasurethe Moment and Vinrock, was eyeing a black-type result with Miss Icelandic in the Ortensia at Scone on May 17.
Saturday’s win was Miss Icelandic’s first start back with Laurie, after a stint with Gavin Bedggood, following a change in the ownership group in December.
