Last Saturday, January 10th, the Royal Randwick Racecourse hosted a fantastic day of racing, their third meeting for 2010.
It was a successful day for local trainer Gai Waterhouse, who began by taking out the first race of the meeting, the Randwick Betting Auditorium Handicap, with her improving stayer Lorne Dancer. Lorne Dancer ($3.20) defeated the Chris Waller-trained Vintedge ($6) by a length with Peter Snowden’s Pinatas ($12) in third. The favourite at $2.50 heading into the race, Informality, could only manage fourth.
The winning horse was ridden by heavyweight apprentice Kody Nestor, in his first ride for Waterhouse after being transferred to the stable two months ago. It was only the second start for five-year-old Lorne Dancer following a 12 month spell for a slab fracture to his knee.
Waterhouse missed out on the second race of the meeting, the Mahogany Handicap, as her starter Judicial, second favourite at $4, finished a disappointing sixth behind the David Payne-trained winner Magic Model ($7.50). Magic Model beat home the $2.20 favourite Killian by two lengths with Movie in third. Magic Model will now be aimed at the lucrative fillies races in the Autumn following her impressive victory at Randwick on Saturday.
Waterhouse was back on track in race three, the Autumn Carnival Package on Sale Now Handicap, seeing her second victory of the day with her long-shot Zutara ($20), who won on debut in an intense and controversial race. Two-year-old Zutara was awarded the race after an initial dead heat with Third Man following a protest by Zutara’s jockey Joshua Parr and Brenton Avdulla, who was aboard Ilovethiscity, against Third Man’s rider Berry for interference. The final result was Zutara in first, Ilovethiscity ($5) second and Third Man ($11) demoted to third.
The premier trainer backed up with a second placing in race five, the Naturalism Handicap, as Waterhouse’s Kinnersley ($2.80 favourite) finished a half-length behind Brother Patrick ($3.30) with the Peter Snowden-trained Daytona Beach ($8) in third.
Waterhouse’s final major placing of the day came in race seven, the Octagonal Handicap, with runner-up Princess Quality ($2.45 favourite), who finished two lengths behind the Peter Snowden-trained Clothing ($5) with Visa Lisa ($13) in third.
The next race meeting at Randwick is scheduled for Wednesday January 20.
Randwick Racecourse Race Results – Saturday January 9:
Race # |
Race Name |
Distance |
Winner |
Trainer |
Jockey |
Second |
Third |
Time |
| 1 | Randwick Betting Auditorium Handicap | 1600m | LORNE DANCER | Gai Waterhouse | K Nestor | Vintedge | Pinatas | 1:34.62 |
| 2 | Mahogany Handicap | 1200m | MAGIC MODEL | David Payne | J D Adams | Killian | Movie | 1:10.05 |
| 3 | Autumn Carnival Package On Sale Now Hcp | 1000m | ZUTARA | Gai Waterhouse | J Parr | Ilovethiscity | Third Man | - |
| 4 | Eremein Handicap | 2000m | COME ON CUGAT | Chris Waller | M Beadman | Stifle | Sir James | 2:03.2 |
| 5 | Naturalism Handicap | 1600m | BROTHER PATRICK | Paul Messara | T D Berry | Kinnersley | Daytona Beach | 1:34.76 |
| 6 | AJC Members Handicap | 1300m | DEALER PRINCIPAL | Anthony Cummings | R M Quinn | Imperial Applause | Noble Edict | 1:15.92 |
| 7 | Octagonal Handicap | 1200m | CLOTHING | Peter Snowden | J Parr | Princes Quality | Visa Lisa | 1:09.72 |
| 8 | BIG6 Jackpot Today Handicap | 1100m | LIGHTHORSEMAN | Gary Portelli | N J Berry | Motspur | Prior Baron | 1:03.17 |
