Paul Perry’s great start to the season continued at Newcastle on Thursday when his promising three-year-old Sky Lab raced away in the closing stages to win the Sage Painting Maiden Plate (1875m).
From his first two race starts over unsuitable trips in June and July, Sky Lab indicated he would develop into a more than handy stayer. A red hot favourite, the gelding raced much closer over the longer trip and when Tom Sherry shook him up at the top of the straight, Sky Lab stretched out magnificently. He looks like a horse that will run 2000-2400 metres and will be even better next preparation.
All eyes were on Arrowfield’s blueblood colt Bucharest in the Australian Bloodstock Maiden Handicap (1500m). A three-year-old son of champion Japanese stallion Deep Impact and seven-time Group 1 winner Miss Finland, Bucharest was on debut after four barrier trials. Chris Waller trains the colt but it was his stablemate Zarzou the punters elect backed into odds-on. James McDonald parked Bucharest outside the leader and when he took the lead in the home straight Zarzou boomed however, Bucharest held the stablemate to the line for an impressive win.
Kris Lees kicked off the day with a winner when the Australian Bloodstock owned Miss Canada won the 900 Metre Lynne Barter Memorial 3YO Maiden Plate. The speedy filly sat outside the leader and won narrowly. It was only Miss Canada’s fifth start and last prep she was placed in all three metropolitan starts. Andrew Gibbons was aboard the winner.
Newcastle trainer Mark Minervini decision to back up his gelding Super in the Hungerford Hill Wines Class 1 Handicap (1500m) paid off when the son of Snitzel landed a huge plunge. Only five days earlier Super was a fast finishing third at Newcastle and on Thursday apprentice Brandon Griffiths gave him a gun ride.
The Coastline Pools and Spas Maiden Plate (1300m) featured one of the classiest Maiden fields run on a Provincial track recently.
The three placegetters Jet Propulsion, Centimental and Reaching all have promising futures. Runner up Centimental’s run was very good and the Snitzel bred, Torryburn Stud’s John Cornish owned filly has her foot on the till. The Chris Waller trained three-year-old has placed twice at Randwick.
Third placegetter Reaching in the Arrowfield colours was first up and will benefit from the run. The blueblood mare a daughter of Deep Impact and four time Group 1 winner Alinghi is very talented.