If there is a trademark performance by a Tulloch Lodge two-year-old, Straight Charge produced it at Randwick to burst into Magic Millions Classic favouritism on Saturday.
Gate speed followed by a relaxed high cruising pace before a kick in the straight and with a bottom line of overall strength were the fundamentals of Straight Charge’s victory.
Tim Clark takes a look at the big screen as Straight Charge heads for the post.Credit: Getty
“Exactly, what we wanted,” jockey Tim Clark said after the 3½ length victory in which the Written By colt never looked in danger of defeat and was in a world of his own for much of the straight. “He bounced quickly from the gates then travelled into the bridle and, in the straight, he quickened really well.
“There is still a bit of improvement left there as well for the Magic Millions.”
Clark had time to have a couple of looks at the big screen as Straight Charge ($1.60) won easily from Erno’s Cube ($6.50), with Pisces ($6) another half-length back in third.
Straight Charge, which was the Breeders Plate runner-up, went from $5 to $3.50 favourite for the Magic Millions at the Gold Coast on January 13.
“Gai [Waterhouse] said when I rang her this morning, ‘he won’t win, he’ll annihilate them’ and she was pretty spot-on,” Clark said.
“I just love the way he handled himself. I know he’s had the preparation, but he just walked across the road and didn’t turn a hair, which was good to see.
“He has always been a horse who has taken everything in his stride. They’re the sort of horses that get to those early races and can handle the big occasion.”
Later in the day, stablemate Storm Boy joined Straight Charge at the top of the Magic Millions market winning the McLachlan Stakes at Eagle Farm as expected.
Storm Boy started a $1.45 favourite and looked to stumbled out of the gates and was caught wide early, but asserted his authority late to win by 2-1/2 length from Poster Boy ($8.50) with debutant Customized ($9) a half length back in third.
“He was a little awkward out the gates and it looked to put him on the back foot,” co-trainer Adrian Bott said. “I’m glad he was able to overcome a little bit of difficulty. He was strong late and I’m sure there is still a little bit of improvement.
“He will learn a bit more from that, and once he puts it all together we are going to see a lovely, good class horse.
“It is difficult to measure the two colts against each other; we find out which one is better in three weeks.”
Waihaha Falls defies pattern in storming victory
John O’Shea and Tommy Berry decided to stick to the plan with Waihaha Falls despite knowing they were giving up a huge advantage and came up trumps at Randwick on Saturday.
The track had been playing to leaders and those close to the fence for the first seven races, but Waihaha Falls took his medicine from an outside draw and went back to last over the 1400m.
Waihaha Falls drifted from $4.60 to $7 because the pattern of racing and was 15 lengths from the leader Frosty Rocks, which cut out a sizzling tempo, at the 600m mark.
From there Berry picked a course through the field, sticking as close to the fence as possible, and Waihaha Falls speared through late to win by a long neck from Our Redente ($5.50) with Sinawann ($6.50) a length away in third.
“We thought we were going around for practice the way the racing has been today,” O’Shea said. “We decided to stick our plan from the wide gate and got a great Tommy Berry ride.
“We wanted him to stick to the inside and he found the runs and finished the best.
“We are probably going to wait for the Carrington Stakes here in a month with him because the horse is going really well.”
Beuzelin gets some Christmas cheer
Former Singapore jockey Louis Beuzelin made an immediate impact on Sydney racing as he caused a surprise on So United to give Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott a Christmas double at Randwick on Saturday.
Tulloch Lodge had earlier produced impressive two-year-old Straight Charge to win and So United became another leader to win on a day where it was advantage to race from the front.
“They wanted me to sit behind his stablemate, Too Much Caviar, but my fellow jumped out so well and the inside horse was taking me on, so I just thought I’d let my one slide on and get in a rhythm and that’s what I did,” Beuzelin said after his first Sydney winner.
“I’ve been here for about a month-and-a-half. I’ve been watching Australian racing with a keen eye for many years and I was trying to come last year but my wife was pregnant and I had to do some parenting, and here I am now.
“I love it. It’s like Royal Ascot in a way, sensational, and the platform you have is quite impressive.”
So United ($13) won by 1¾ lengths from Rogue Bear ($9.50) with Angel Of Light ($18) a half head away in third.
Barrett gets first win on Belleistic Kids
Apprentice Jake Barrett celebrated his first city winner as Belleistic Kids led all-the-way at Randwick on Saturday. It was a great way for the three-kilogram claimer to thank Belleistic Kids’ trainers Barbara Joseph, Paul and Matt Jones, whose faith had rejuvenated his career earlier in the year.
“They pulled me out of the dumps when I was at my lowest,” Barrett said. “I was probably going to give the game away and they gave me a new lease of life and said, ‘come on Jake, move to Canberra and give it a really good crack. We can do this’. Only six months ago we were driving to Enngonia [near Bourke], staying the night and eating Chinese food, so the fact I’m here today on the big stage and to do it for Paul, Matt and Barb, it just means the world to me.”
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