Owner breeder John Singleton enjoyed success at Rosehill on Saturday when Dear Demi took out the $70,000, The Juniors Handicap (1200m) after a ground saving ride by Peter Robl.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Dear Demi, trained by Clarry Conners at Warwick Farm, was coming off a 49 day break from racing when fourth over 1000m at her home course on January 7th. The filly was lost for early speed after leaving from barrier six and Robl waited patiently while Emperor Of Rome and Jay Ford with On Our Selection and Nathan Berry took the field along at a good pace.
Ashokan and Jim Cassidy kept in touch along with The Broken Shore and Tommy Berry. The $3.10 favourite Tatra and Josh Parr were struggling to keep up with the early pace.
The field fanned entering the main straight with Emperor Of Rome still leading with The Broken Shore coming through outside and then Ashokan three wide. Parr went to the outside on Tatra.
Meanwhile Robl decided that the inside of the field, but some four off the rails, was the clearest and shortest passage home and he sent Dear Demi off for the lead.
The field was spread across the track with The Broken Shore and Ashokan, who was racing greenly for Cassidy, striving for the lead and Tatra was coming out wide. But it was Robl and Dear Demi who came through strongly on their inside and with 100m to run she had their measure.
Dear Demi went clear with the winning margin 3/4L over Ashokan with The Broken Shore third, the margin a short neck. On Our Selection was fourth.
Conners was in Melbourne supervising the run of Satin Shoes in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate with stable foreman Dale Harris capably looking the success in Sydney.
“The filly has being crying out for 1200m. In her three starts over 1000m and 1100m she has being making a lot of ground from behind,” he said.
“The blinkers went on today for the first time and we were a little bit worried that she would fire up but Pete got her to relax and made her work home really.
“We were trying to get her qualified for the Magic Millions but she only got first emergency so we took her up to the Gold Coast and she did not get a run and we brought her back and tried to keep her as fresh as possible,” he said.
“She is a lovely filly and having the blinkers on and 1200m really suited her. She has done a good job as there were quite a few smart ones in this so it was very good effort,” said Robl.
“They were all keen to get off the fence so I just thought I would go the shortest way home,” he added.
