Passeggiata reminded trainer Bjorn Baker of the flying Shades Of Rose this week and she delivered in similar fashion to her classy stablemate at Rosehill on Saturday, pulling off a big plunge in the process.
From the time markets opened on Wednesday, Passegiata ($2.25 fav) was heavily backed to win more than $300,000 with the TAB, including one bet of $30,000 at $2.90, and she rewarded supporters, who had to take significant deductions due to scratchings, with an all-the-way victory.
Rachel King eases Passeggiata to the post at Rosehill on Satjurday. Credit:Getty
“Her work on Tuesday was very Shades Of Rose like, and she will be on the same path to better races,” Baker said after Passeggiata made it two wins from two starts.
“We were very confident but the heavy track was a concern. It didn’t matter; she went out and did what she does.
“She didn’t really love the ground but she won, so we will think where to go next with her, but it is exciting.”
It is high praise for Passeggiata as Shades Of Rose went through her grades last spring in a preparation that ended unplaced in The Everest.
Rachel King used the Winning Rupert filly’s speed to lead by several lengths turning for home and had 1½ lengths to spare at the post from Narito ($5) and Compassionate ($14).
Royal Entrance races into Magic Millions contention
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott quickly found a Magic Millions replacement for Bruce McLachlan Stakes winner The Novelist in Royal Entrance, which remained unbeaten after he took out the Gold Nugget at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
James McDonald missed the opening race after his plane was delayed but was quickly on the board leading all the way to give the Newgate colts syndicate a third Magic Millions runner to go with favourites Empire Of Japan and Sovereign Fund.
“He makes his own luck, which helps, but he’s a high cruising speed two-year-old and he is very tough,” said McDonald, who will ride Empire Of Japan in the Magic Millions Classic.
Royal Entrance led around the turn and skipped clear to win by 1¾ lengths from Sonny Daze, with Worx a half-length back in third.
He will join Gimcrack Stakes winner Platinum Jubilee in the Magic Millions for Tulloch, where Tim Clark will take the ride.
“He’s a lovely individual and it is great to see the improvement today from his first-up run; he was a little bit raw on that occasion and wasn’t sort of able to put them away,” Bott said. “He was full of running throughout and good to see him quicken up and hold a good margin there.
“It was disappointing what happened with The Novelist, which was lame in the near-fore. It was as disappointed as I have heard Tim Clark last night, and he was probably riding Royal Entrance as hard as J-Mac today.”
Mishani Royale went faster than the Tulloch Lodge colt in the Gold Pearl, but she will not be there on Magic Millions day as she was not entered in the series.
“The owner had 33 [horses] and he said ‘you decide which ones will get to the Millions’. This was one we left out, but anyway it is nice to win a race,” trainer Les Ross said.
Newnham might make the Big Dance a mission
Mark Newnham has designs on the Big Dance with January Cup winner Mission Phoenix, which capped his comeback to racing after two years out with a tendon injury with a listed win at Rosehill on Saturday.
Mission Phoenix injured the same tendon twice but has won three times this summer with premier apprentice Tyler Schiller in the saddle on each occasion.
“He is just a good, tough, genuine horse and it is great to see the improvement in him,” Newnham said. “Both the jockey and horse just keep getting better.
“He was good out in front again and Tyler rated him perfectly.
“He is the sort horse we could aim at the Albury and Wagga Cups, so we might give him a freshen-up and try to qualify him for the Big Dance.”
Mission Pheonix was there to be beaten in the straight but was able to repel favourite Aleas and Bonny Enza.
Horse rescued from canal at Gold Coast
There have been many reasons for race meetings being delayed, but Princess Lunar provided a new one when she was rescued from the canal next to the Gold Coast track on Saturday.
The flighty Bel Esprit mare parted company with Tegan Harrison leaving the mounting yard and crashed through the outside fence at the 2400m chute before ending up in a canal.
While track staff stripped off and got her out of the canal, the other runners in the Magic Millions Quality were sent back to the mounting yard, which caused the meeting to be put back a race.
The 40 minutes delay didn’t worry Archer’s Paradox, which jumped to the lead and was never threatened as she smashed the 900m track record.
Sledmere gets a winner to start Millions week
Magic Millions week couldn’t have started better for Sledmere Stud principal Royston Murphy when Silentsar won the Magic Millions Maiden at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Murphy sold Silentsar for $300,000 at the Magic Millions sales a couple of years ago but was quick to approach Gerald Ryan after he bought it.
“I always liked him and said to Gerald I want to stay in. It has been a bit of a journey to get here, but we got our reward today,” Murphy said. “Hopefully, our luck can hold out for this week because we have 17 horses to sell.”
It was a brilliant Brenton Avdulla ride from wide to have Silentsar poised to strike on the home turn.
“He feels like he’s only going at 80 per cent,” Avdulla said. “He rode the speed, clocked off and took off a long way out. I had to get a bit busy with him . . . but I’m sure there’s more in him.”
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
