Take nothing away from iron horse Cellarman, who won his sixth race in 12 starts this campaign, but the luckless Alward is the horse to mark down.
The five-year-old import will next be seen in the Listed Randwick City Stakes (2000m).
Alward, in his second Australian preparation, had trialled in sharp fashion ahead of his return and it came as no surprise to Chris Waller to see him catch the eye fresh.
“He was unlucky not to win,” Waller said.
“It certainly looks like he is in for a good preparation. He was fairly forward today because he has to run over 2000m in two weeks’ time.
“I knew he had come back very well and stayers will run well fresh in this type of grade. I said to Lee (Magorrian) just make sure he has clear room the last 200m and he’ll get home very well. I was right but it just didn’t work out.”
Waller also revealed he now trains Alward’s half-brother Tansheet, a three-year-old import, who trialled at Warwick Farm on February 15. However, hold off adding Tansheet your blackbook as he’ll have to change his name with an unraced Tansheet already trained by the Hayes yard in Melbourne.
Of the rest, Winona Costin said of Pelethronius, “when it gets a softer track he’ll be winning for sure.”
Wagner To Step Out On Wednesday
Godolphin colt Wagner will make his debut in Wednesday’s two-year-old maiden handicap over 1100m after a couple of brilliant trial wins.“He hasn’t been one that’s jumped out of the ground but just kept ticking along and when James has asked him for an effort he has picked up,” stable rep Darren Beadman said.
“He is very professional. No race at this time of year for two-years-olds are easy though, even if they are midweek, but his trials have been good.”
And as for any immediate targets if he was to take his trial form to Rosehill?
“With two-year-olds you have just got to treat them day by day. He’ll let James know after his debut,” Beadman said.
For the record, this writer thinks Wagner is very, very good.
Birthday Gifts For Days
Casino Angel, on Wednesday at Gosford, gave Ron Quinton a winner on his birthday. However, Andrew Adkins managed to top it with Daysee Doom’s victory in the $200,000 G2 Vinery Stud Millie Fox Stakes (1300m).“It was a great training performance by Ron. I’m tipping today (Ron would) be pretty happy with it,” Adkins said.
“She tries so hard and just doesn’t want to get beat.”
Ron Quinton added, “She has always shown she is tough, she’s a bit mad, but she is tough. Andrew gets along well with her. (The owners) have already been offered big money but she won’t be going anywhere in the near future.”
The Coolmore Classic is Daysee Doom’s autumn target, along with her regular sparring partner Dixie Blossoms, who’ll resume next week at Randwick.
The sectionals backs up everything the eye told us in the Hobartville Stakes with stunning grey colt D'argento running his last 200m in 11.24s, the quickest of the race.
The big striding three-year-old lost his unbeaten record but no admirers in chasing home Kementari, proving beyond doubt that he was up to this grade.
Luvaluva was doing her best work late, recording the second fastest closing split of 11.56s and is back better than ever.
Don't let the run of Pierata get lost in the wash either. He ran the fastest 600-400m and 400-200m splits in the race before peaking slightly on his run. He'll be cherry ripe come the Randwick Guineas.
“He was the first horse beaten, hopefully there is an excuse,” said a perplexed Glyn Schofield.
There was one. Singing pulled up with cardiac arrhythmia.
