The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott two-year-old winning machine continued its charge towards the Golden Slipper as Straight Charge added the Silver Slipper to the season’s bounty at Rosehill on Saturday.
Straight Charge ($2.45 fav) went to the front using his speed and then enjoyed a soft middle section before holding off stablemate Espionage ($2.80) by 1¼ lengths in a reversal of the Breeders Plate quinella in September. There was another 2½ lengths back to Erno’s Cube ($7) in third.
Straight Charge (pink cap) holds off Espionage in the finish of the Silver Slipper.Credit: Getty
“He has been a natural two-year-old all the way through,” Bott said. “From the minute we did anything with him, he has shown that natural brilliance, that great early speed and good, sustained speed.”
It was the 18th two-year-old win this season for Tulloch Lodge. That natural speed of Straight Charge was favoured at the 1100m, but Espionage’s effort should not be underestimated. He chased all the way and was strong on the line.
“I felt that if anything today he was going to be probably more vulnerable, but he’s just got an abundance of speed,” jockey Tim Clark said of the winner. “He came back to me nicely when I asked him and rested around the bend.
“We come here thinking that that’s the sort of performance we want to see from him. It was excellent to get the result.”
Nash Rawiller took positives out of Breeders Plate winner Espionage’s return and can’t wait for a rematch at 1200m of the Golden Slipper.
“The winner just got that breather in the middle stages and got to sprint away from us,” Rawiller said. “I can’t wait to get another 100m to chase him down.
“My horse was very strong at the end and is going to get better, because he has had a little blow after that.”
Tulloch Lodge had to be happy with the runner-up cheque in the Blue Diamond at Caulfield, where Hayasugi got over the top of Lady Of Camelot in Melbourne’s juvenile group 1.
Hayasugi started at $16 despite winning the Blue Diamond Preview and Prelude and had the last shot at Lady Of Camelot ($4.40) to win by a long neck, with Kuroyanagi a length back in third in a sweep of the placings for the fillies.
“She’s determined, she’s tough and I thought I was stupid coming in today thinking she was 20-1, I just thought her last run was fantastic for a two-year-old to be able to do that,” trainer Clinton McDonald said. “She had no favours and again today.
“I think the Golden Slipper will really suit this filly, and the way she attacks the line, for a young two-year-old, her tenacity is second to none.”
Bon Ho on track for Legend’s Hobartville victory
Hong Kong owner Bon Ho never got the chance to watch Everest winner Classique Legend in Australia, but he was there as Celestial Legend took the Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
The Dundeel colt, which started at $8.50, exploded away from his rivals to score a two-length victory from Encap ($6.50) and Les Vampires ($9.50), which was another length back in third, to confirm trainer Les Bridge’s opinion.
“He has always been a good horse, and that’s what he can do,” Bridge said. “I thought he was another sprinter like Classique Legend to begin with, but he has that Dundeel in him and will get a good trip.
“I got twice as much pleasure out that with Mr Ho being here. I don’t have to [train] these days; I just do it because I’m terrified of having nothing to do.
“Mr Ho has been absolutely marvellous to me, and I just hope this repays him a little bit.
“He didn’t see much of Classique Legend, and it was a tragedy that he broke down, but he’s got a good replacement with this one.”
“Another Fangirl job” as Zougotcha makes winning return
Chris Waller had a bit of confidence that he was on the right track with Zougotcha for the Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) when she walked off on Tuesday morning.
“This could be another Fangirl job on Saturday,” trusted trackwork rider Chris Heywood told his boss.
It wasn’t quite the devastating nature of Fangirl’s win seven days earlier, but Zougotcha added the group 2 to her resume, proving too strong and classy for favourite Lady Laguna.
“We had her in the wrong races last time trying to make her into an Everest horse. We started again and at 1300m and she is back,” Waller said. “She carried the penalty as a group 1 winner and showed her class.”
James McDonald took the sit behind the speed set by Lady Laguna and Howgoodareyou, which dropped off coming to the turn, and when he asked Zougotcha for the effort she levelled up and then went away.
Zougotcha ($4.40) had a length margin at the post from Lady Laguna ($2.35 fav), with Madame Pommery ($12), which made good ground late, 2¼ lengths away in third.
The win gave Waller a treble after outsiders More Felons and Welwal had won earlier.
More Felons return a winner in Parramatta Cup
Premier trainer Chris Waller is already looking to the Sydney Cup with More Felons and Canberra Legend after Saturday’s Parramatta Cup at Rosehill on Saturday.
More Felons ($21) sneaked through the fence to get the result in his return after finishing midfield in last year’s Melbourne Cup, winning by a short head from Almania ($17) with Bold Mac ($21) a short neck back in third. It was the busiest of finishes, with Canberra Legend a breath away fourth as half-dozen finished within a length.
“It is a good way to start for More Felons with a win, and he is heading to the Sydney Cup and will get better as they step up in trip,” Waller said. “Canberra Legend was really good too. He was three wide without cover and just kept finding the line. He will follow the same path.”
Belvedere Boys to chase Country Championships
Murwillumbah trainer Matt Dunn will look to qualify Belvedere Boys for the Country Championships Final after he scored a third Highway Handicap at Rosehill on Saturday.
Tribeca Star and Rainbow Connection quinellaed the Northern Rivers heat last week for Dunn and Belvedere Boys will try to join them via the Northern Wildcard after being scratched with a vet certificate from the heat.
“He just hadn’t recovered well enough from his last run and we had to wait to have for this race with him,” Dunn said. “That was a very strong win and there is more to come from him because he is still improving.”
It was a perfect Nash Rawiller steer which saw Belvedere Boys ($3.20 fav) come from midfield down the centre of the track to win by a comfortable three-quarters of length from Sharp Shock ($14) with Rapbidash ($7.50) 2½ lengths back in third.
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