Sir Daniel lived up to his blue-blood name, and breeding, when he scored a runaway win on debut at Group One Feeds Paceway on Wednesday night. The Kerryann Turner-trained three-year-old, a prohibitive $2.00 favourite in the 2260 metres Lexus Of Dubbo Pace, worked to the front after half a lap, and Robbie Morris “stole” a first half in 65.2 seconds before opening up over the final stages, with closing quarters of 28.1 and 27.7 for an ever-widening 20 metres winning margin. The overall mile rate of 2:03.4 belied the ease, and quality, of the win.
By leading first-season sire Rock N Roll Heaven, the gelding is from Ashlees Babe, which bankrolled over $300,000 for Joe and “Sir” Daniel Cordina in a fine career that included wins in the Vicbred 3YO and 4YO Mares Finals, and the Queensland Oaks. She won on debut at three, almost 13 years earlier to the day, and strung together an opening sequence of 10 race wins, including the Princess Mile and J.L.Raith Memorial, before her fourth in the NSW Oaks.
It hasn’t been all plain sailing with Sir Daniel, however.
“We’ve got quite a few people to thank for getting to this stage with him,” commented Robbie Morris after the race.
“He wouldn’t go at all when starting out, and we had to have him broken in to saddle, to get him to settle down. Dave Micallef had him up at Young for quite a while, and then he came down to us, and it’s been a very steady process from everyone to get him to here.
“As you saw in the run, he’s got plenty of speed, but he’s still pretty wayward, and when his manners catch up with his ability, then we’ll find out how far he’ll go,” was the measured comment of his driver. In the meantime, Robbie has another- far more exciting – prospect to occupy his thoughts, with the birth of his and Kerryann’s first child now just weeks away. Best wishes to a fine young couple.
Smirking Angel was another well-bred debutant to score at the meeting, in a C0 sprint for trainer Matt McCarthy and driver Anthony Frisby, the first leg of a double for the Perthville reinsman. Well supported at $3.60, the mare by Art Major from a half-sister to millionaire David Hercules, was formerly trained at Cobbity by Luke Mccarthy, but was sent up to Uncle Matt for easier company than the 1:52-type opposition she would have to contend with at Menangle.
Frisby led early, took a trail and was content to wait for the sprint lane, which he used to good effect, coming clear over the final stages for a 3 metres margin from death-seating Red Hot Jerry. He’s still not convinced about the sprint lane, saying it’s not much fun getting beaten that way, but he’s now won several races in this fashion, and might soon have to change his mind!
The other leg of his double, Spare The Price ($2.00 favourite, for his father Chris), sat outside the lead in a second division of the C0 sprint, to comfortably hold off Cabo San Lucas, which ran on well after working clear from the inside. Frisby, last season’s leading junior driver at Bathurst, doesn’t have the benefit of a concession this year, and expects the going to be just a little tougher now. Still, he’s made another good start to the season, and it will be no surprise to see him improve on last year’s tally of 14 wins.
Other winners at the meeting were:
Star Singer ($8.10, Nathan/Blair Hurst), in a C0/C1 sprint, the younger brother of Nathan adopting “catch me if you can” tactics on the mare, just second up after a year-long break, and earning the “Taylormade Drive-of-the-Night” award, judged by racecaller Mitch Manners;
Mattjestic Star ($4.30, Steve/Nathan Turnbull), in the C2 Alabar Bloodstock Pace, crossed early and coming off the leader’s back to nab Kapow Shannon right on the line, in a sharp 1:54.8 rate, the meeting’s fastest;
Cracka Stride NZ ($3.20 favourite, Steve Turnbull/Mat Rue), in a C3-C5 sprint, leading throughout, with a closing half in 55.9 seconds, to provide just a little compensation for the broken thumb he inflicted on Mat, in a swimming pool accident, back in the day when they were both part of Luke McCarthy’s stable;
Ideal Gambler NZ ($9.40, Bernie Hewitt), in a C0/C1 sprint, coming from the second half of the field with a strong sprint to score his second win from four runs this season, and another winner to boast impeccable breeding, being a close relation to Hunter Cup and Gold Crown winner Another party, and current Bathurst track record-holder Fearless leader ;
Black Poles ($3.00, Paul Melham/Emma Turnbull), in a 2260 metres C0-C2 Encouragement Stakes, the second-least experienced runner in a field which collectively had over 400 starts – as opposed to young Damo Walker, making his driving debut and getting Machs On Show into the places.
It was a little quieter around Bathurst this week after all that V-8 excitement, but good to see some real horsepower in action at Mount Panorama.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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