By Craig Kerry
Jockey Tyler Schiller had his Magic Millions Classic hopes realised when Gallo Nero booked his place in the $3 million race with victory at Randwick on Saturday.
From gate one and a sit behind the leaders, Schiller found an inside run in the 1100-metre race for two-year-olds to open the card, and the Hawkes stable’s Wootton Bassett colt launched to the front with 150m to go.
Tyler Schiller riding Gallo Nero, centre, to victory at Randwick on Saturday.Credit: Getty Images
He held on for a third-of-a-length win from fast-finishing debutante Apocalyptic, cementing his spot in the January 11 feature for two-year-olds on the Gold Coast.
It was a relief for Schiller, who watched Gallo Nero overrace and finish fourth on debut at Rosehill under Zac Lloyd.
“I think I got offered O’ Ole, but I was hoping this horse was going to win today so he could go there,” Schiller said of the Magic Millions Classic.
“So it was good to see him come out and perform like we know he could have first up. He did it today, and he’s still got a lot of improvement.
“He felt like the winner and once he actually quickened through the gap, he probably floated for a little bit, but the way he actually stayed on without a lot of pressure late, I was very happy. He’s a nice colt.”
Gallo Nero, a $370,000 yearling, was wound into a $6 Sportsbet second favourite for the Classic after being as long as $34.
“Probably the key today was taking a sit, where he actually did relax,” co-trainer Michael Hawkes said.
“I think the part that I liked the most was he actually went between runners and wanted to hit the line.”
Gallo Nero’s win came a week after UK sire Wootton Bassett’s first Southern Hemisphere victory, when Michael Freedman-trained Pallaton marked himself as a Golden Slipper contender on debut at Randwick.
Rawiller at his best
Fresh off a two-week break, veteran hoop Nash Rawiller was in fine form with four winners at Randwick.
The 50-year-old took John Thompson-trained favourite Emmadella hands and heels to the line for a length victory when second-up in the Midway Handicap.
“It was a super ride from a tricky draw,” Thompson said.
“She’s a very nice mare and is going to go through her grades. She’ll end up back in stakes grade in the not too distant future. It’s hard to get carried away, winning a Midway, but it was the way she did it.”
Rawiller then took the rails run on Waller-trained Unstopabull in the 1100m benchmark 72, and it proved the winning move in a tight go against favourite Point And Shoot.
“It was Nash Rawiller at his best, and the horse deserves a win,” Waller said.
“He’s been knocking on the door and is a consistent midweek horse, and we saw a good opportunity here today.”
The late Paul Griffin, victim of a one-punch pub attack last month in Sydney, was among the ownership of Unstopabull.
Rawiller made it a treble when driving Sterling Alexiou- and Gerald Ryan-prepared High Blue Sea to his first win in almost a year, in the 1400m benchmark 78.
“He needs dry tracks and good rides, which that was,” Ryan said.
He made it a double for Waller with an easy victory down the outside on favourite Saltcoats in the 2000m benchmark 88.
From the clouds
Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup will look to the $1 million Magic Millions Fillies and Mares race (1300m) on January 11 with Left Field – and hopefully a wet track – after she arrived just in time to win at Randwick.
The four-year-old Deep Field mare lunged late down the outside under Rachel King to beat favourite Jewellery by a nose in the 1200m benchmark 78. Left Field was coming off a second-last effort.
“It was great to see her win, it was very disappointing last start,” Widdup said.
“She’s a frustrating horse, she’s got a tonne of ability, but I do think she needs cut in the ground. I was very happy when the track came up soft 5 this morning.
“I’ve been chasing [a Magic Millions start], and she needed to win today, so we’ll just see what happens … and you never know, you might get a wet year. There’s meant to be a bit of rain the next couple of weeks.”
Sir Remlap bounces back
Scone trainer Scott Singleton was praised for his work in getting Sir Remlap back from serious injury after the four-year-old Rubick gelding won the 1200m Highway Handicap.
Sir Remlap, with apprentice Mitch Stapleford aboard, came from the rear of the field to beat joint favourite Highway Strip by three-quarters of a length.
The win was Sir Remlap’s third in four starts since having a year off with a tendon injury. He now looks set for a shot at the Country Championships.
“He definitely wants 1400 now, whether he goes that way, I don’t think it’s a bad idea at all,” Stapleford said of the series.
“Scott has done a very good job with him because a lot of horses don’t come back from the injury he had.”
Tough day for Bayliss
It was a short and tough day at Randwick for jockey Regan Bayliss after he was stood down following one race because of illness, then suspended for four meetings.
Bayliss rode well-backed Michael Freedman-trained debutante Apocalyptic, which flashed home for second to Gallo Nero after being held up initially for a run in the 1100m two-year-olds race to start the program on Saturday.
He was then ruled out for the rest of the meeting by the club doctor, before fronting stewards.
Bayliss pleaded guilty to careless riding at the 25m mark when Apocalyptic shifted out and checked O’ Ole, which had Rachel King aboard.
Bayliss hoped to ride at the Magic Millions carnival on January 4 and 11, but was set to miss one of the days.
