The in-form Waugh stable capped off a good day for local trainers with White Boots and Joy For Us both posting wins.
Tracey Bartley and Stephen Schofield also celebrated victories earlier in the program with Commute and Stunned respectively.
It was a race to race double for Waugh’s pair with Joy For Us winning the 1350m OVER THE LINE RACING CLASS 1 and White Boots, the WYONG TRAINERS’ TROPHY CONDITIONAL BM 70.
White Boots added to his impressive record, bringing up his sixth win from 11 starts.
The Animal Kingdom gelding was coming off a third at Kensington when resuming on February 6, and was installed $1.50 favourite.
Apprentice Billy Owen sat just off the lead early in the race, hitting the front before the straight and fighting off a late challenge by the second favourite Invicta ($7).
“He rode him perfectly to instructions,” Waugh said.
“He is a real 2000m horse and we needed genuine pace. I told Billy to get him rolling around the 600m mark or he would be outsprinted.
“He rode him really well.”
Waugh said the horse has a great will to win.
“We tossed up whether to start him here or Kensington tomorrow and this proved to be the right decision.
“It was the perfect second up run and I think he’s in for a good preparation.”
Waugh was equally impressed with Joy For Us, who she said had always shown ability but had been racing without much luck.
“She has been really unlucky in her last two starts. She’s been knocked over and all sorts of things. Everything that could of gone wrong has,” she said.
“But she’s been going very, very well. With a little bit of luck today she’s did what we thought she would do.
“She’s a lovely filly, very brave and very professional and she tries hard. “
Parr said the win would be a real confidence builder for the mare.
“We had a really nice run in transit and they ran at a nice gallop for us,” he said.
“It’s a nice feeling when everything surrounding you is under pressure and your horse is coming up underneath you on the bit and really chiming into the race comfortably, which is what she did today.
“She was quite convincingly albeit by a short margin.
“The second horse is pretty smart and that definitely adds merit to the win. I’m really pleased how she won today, she’s definitely on the way up.”
Joy for Us ($9), beat the Lees trained favourite Lifetime Quest ($3.20), with Godolphin runner Waka ($8.50) a close third.
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Tracey Bartley is confident he has a smart filly on his books after Commute put paid to her opposition with an impressive two and a half length win in the 1100m MEN CARE TOO PROVINCIAL & COUNTRY MAIDEN.
Bartley’s three-year-old Commute, was a $6000 weanling purchase for Andrew Phillips, who races her with members of his family.
The Phillips family also race McCormack with Bartley, who has had two wins from two starts for the stable.
Commute was coming off a debut run at Kensington on February 6 where she finished toward the rear of the field.
“She’s a high-class filly,” Bartley said.
“I gave Tim (Clark) the wrong instructions in Sydney. If she had been on speed, she probably would of run fourth of fifth. It went all pear shaped but it was good to see her bounce back today.
“She’s a massive horse. I was afraid she wouldn’t get around here because she’s never really been on the fence but when she gallops, she gets down nice and low and she’s got a good action.
“She’s pretty good, we’ve got a bit opinion of her.”
Clark said Commute had come out of a pretty strong form race at Kensington.
“She equipped herself pretty well that day. She didn’t have the smoothest of passages but still ran well and was always going to improve off the run.
“She’s a really big filly and hadn’t trialled going into it so she had plenty of improvement to come.
“I think she’s a nice filly who will keep improving, especially as the distances increase. If she gets to 1200m and 1400m rolls up onto the speed and keeps building, she might cause a few issues for the horses trying to chase her down.”
Commute, who started $2.50 favourite, beat fellow Wyong galloper So Very Vein ($2.90) from the Waugh stable, with Pacific Legend ($3.40), trained by Matthew Vella, third.
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A popular local victory with the Stephen ‘Beaver’ Schofield trained Stunned ($5.50) breaking through for his maiden win over 1600m.
The four-year-old Reset gelding was purchased unraced by Schofield for $8000 from Godolphin last year.
He retains a share in the gelding along with a group of locals, who were on course to celebrate the win.
“He’s a good honest horse and it’s really good to see him win so well today,” Schofield said.
“He’s been pretty consistent but this was his first go at a mile and you worry about if he will get the distance. He seemed to run it right out so he should win again somewhere.
“He hit the line well. He was only a cheap buy from Godolphin but he does everything right like all theirs do. He is a nice horse.
“I was confident in the horse’s ability today but a bit guarded as to whether he was going to run the mile.
“He was well weighted with Mikayla’s claim today and that really makes the difference. He carried 59 and 58.5kg at his last few starts and it’s hard for them. He does his best but weight will get everything.”
Schofield said he would look for a mile race in the country next start for Stunned.
Winning jockey Mikayla Weir said Stunned had answered any query there had been about him getting the distance.
“It wasn’t an issue today,” she said.
”Just on the corner he was travelling too well and I had to expose him a bit early but it suited him to keep rolling.
“It was good to see him attack the line. He’s gone super today.”
Milawa ($18) trained by Gwenda Markwell was second in the KIM WAUGH RACING STABLES MAIDEN, a length and a half ahead of the $2.50 race favourite Duchess Of Windsor, trained by Mathew Smith.
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The Josh Parr fan squad had plenty to cheer about with the leading jockey taking out the riding honours with a winning double.
Parr has a group of local men who support him at Wyong and in Sydney and they were on hand to celebrate his two wins.
His ride on the Kim Waugh trained Joy For Us was worth cheering, with Parr coming from the rear of the field and weaving a passage in the straight to score a narrow win.
Earlier a well-planned ride paid dividends for Parr earlier with Bon Equus ($3.10fav) proving the dominant stayer in 2100m ALLAN DENHAM RACING STABLES BM 64.
Parr took the Medagilia d’Oro gelding to the front early before surrendering the lead to Heroic Fighter ($4) in the middle stages.
He got going again before the turn and was able to run down in the favourite in the final stages of the straight to score a narrow win.
“It did look the perfect race for him so I’m glad he’s been able to come here and win,” Parr said.
“He’s been a horse that hasn’t won for some time now. He’s been competitive in some decent races without winning so it’s nice to win on him when the plan goes our way.
“It would have been very disappointing if he’d been beaten today especially given the run we had. I pressed forward quite intently early because I was keen on getting to the fence, to get the shortest way home with the weight, and get on our merry way coming to the corner.
“It all worked out really well and thankfully he stuck his head out.”
Stable representative Hayley Blythe-Devlin-Rorison said coming back in grade had been the key for Bon Equus, a brother to multiple black type winning stayer Destiny’s Kiss.
“He just keeps going and this is his trip today,” she said.
“He was unlucky here two starts back when he was caught off the track. He was out of his grade at Rosehill the other day but coming back here has given him a good confidence win.
“He just keeps on grinding and Josh really earned his money today. He got stuck into him around the 600m and it paid off in the end.
“He can mix his form a little bit but he seems a bit more genuine this time around and he’s enjoying his racing.”
Owned by Nick Moratis, Bon Equus has now had six wins and seven placings from 36 starts.
In a three-way finish Yorkshire Rock ($5.50), trained by Scott Singleton was second ahead of Heroic Fighter.
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Gerald Ryan looks to have unveiled another potential two-year-old star after Fortress Command’s debut victory over 1350m.
The Sebring colt could be targeted toward the Group 1 Champagne Stakes at Randwick on April 13, on the strength of his win.
“I’ve always had an opinion of him and he came here today and did everything right,” Ryan said.
“He’s a nice horse. His trials have all been too short for him and he is a horse who is going to get 1600m to 2000m without any problem.
“That’s why we waited for this race for him and he got the job done.”
Ryan said Fortress Command ($5) could head to the Champagne Stakes or Listed Fernill Handicap if he continued to improve.
“He settled terrific today, a lot better a than his trials. He should improve off that run and will improve over more ground.”
Jockey Brett Prebble settled the colt midfield in the GREAT NORTHERN ON TAP 2YO MAIDEN before taking him wide on the turn.
He hit the lead on straightening and held off challengers to score a strong one and a quarter length win.
Prebble, who is a regular rider for owners Sun Bloodstock, was happy with the win.
“It’s nice for him to come here and get it right the first time,” he said.
“He’s still a bit new and he’s a little bit temperamental. The race will do him the world of good. He’s come back, taken it all in his stride and had a really good look.
“He really gave me a good feel in the last part of the race and it was a nice win.
“I think you will see him over 2000m plus this horse.”
Fortress Command beat Prince Of Arragon ($12) from the John Thompson stable, with Godolphin’s $3.50 race favourite Promotions, third.
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Vinery Stud heavyweights Peter Orton and Adam White were trackside to celebrate their filly Silver Melody’s win in the 1000m DAMIEN LANE RACING STABLES CLASS 2.
The All Too Hard filly was unwanted at the 2017 Gold Coast Magic Millions sale, so Vinery owner Orton, his right-hand man White, and Newcastle businessman Allan Cox decided to race her.
They have been well rewarded with the three-year-old being super consistent in her short career with three wins and two placings from six starts.
Ridden by Brenton Avdulla, she led from barriers to post to record a three and a quarter length win, holding out the fast finishing race favourite Partners.
Trained by Kris Lees, the filly was coming off a let up, her last start at Randwick on December 26.
“She’s a speedy type at the gates and in the running,” stable representative Lucas Miller said.
“Brenton summed it up very well today. He got her to relax which is very important and she was too good in the end.
“She is very consistent. It’s vital she gets that breather during the race and Brenton was able to do that today.”
Miller said Lees would likely look for another race over a similar distance to keep the winning run going.
Winning jockey Brenton Avdulla said the filly had done everything right on the day.
“She’s lightly raced and has been around the mark her whole career and was able to get another win up today.
“She’s a short course horse. If she learns to switch off a bit maybe 1100m and I’m sure she’ll be better if she can relax more.
“At the moment she’s just a bit too quick for them so hopefully she just gets a bit of race sense and she’ll be right.”
Silver Melody ($2.80), beat Partners ($2.45) trained by Scott Singleton, with Crackneck ($13) from the Allan Kehoe stable, third.
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Jarrod Austin had never doubted the ability of his galloper Miss Antares but was frustrated she couldn’t bring that form to the track.
Unplaced in five starts, the Star Witness four-year-old turned the tables yesterday with an impressive length win in the 1000m KRISTEN BUCHANAN RACING STABLES 4YO & UP MAIDEN.
In a well-timed ride by Rachel King, the mare hit the lead around the 400m mark, kicking away to a three-length lead in the straight.
She held out the fast finishing Clara Et Moi, to bring up her first win.
Miss Antares was sent out $2.50 favourite on the strength of two recent trials, her latest a dominant win at Warwick Farm on February 4.
“We’ve had more than a few issues with her over the years, it’s been one thing after the other, so it is great to see her come her and perform like that,” Austin said.
“The key was for Rachel to get her out and into a nice rhythm and finish off strongly and Rachel did that perfectly.
“The most pleasing thing was to see her kick away in the straight.
“Her last couple of preparations she hasn’t been able to do that. She’s had a little wind operation since then and it’s done the trick.”
Austin said Miss Antares was a stable favourite with several of his staff having shares in the mare.
“They would have been cheering back home,” he laughed.
King said Miss Antares was still a “little bit new.”
“When she was in front in the straight she wasn’t quite sure about stretching out, but she’s been doing on half the amount of oxygen last preparation, so this time it was just nice to see her put them away like that.
“We knew she could always gallop but last start she was struggling with the win.
“She will improve further with that win.”
Miss Antares beat Clara Et Moi ($6.50) trained by Donna Griesdale, with Brooke ($6.50) from the Bob Holloway stable, third.
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