3 minute read
A look at some of the other angles from Tancred Stakes Day at Rosehill.
Serpentine makes it two wins in a row
The $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes is among the options for Serpentine after the tough gelding made it back-to-back wins this campaign.
After fending off all challengers to win the Listed Randwick City Stakes (2000m) last month, the 2020 Epsom Derby winner was sent out the $3.20 second favourite in Saturday's Group 3 Neville Sellwood Stakes over the same distance.
The $2.60 favourite Zeyrek loomed up to challenge Serpentine in the straight but under jockey Tim Clark the latter refused to lay down and fought back to win by a half-length.
"This was the call from (part-owners) Nick and Lloyd Williams to be here today and they've certainly pulled the right rein in that regard," co-trainer Adrian Bott said.
"He might be getting a little bit more difficult to place from here, whether we do throw him a little bit in the deep end now.
"I just had a quick chat with Nick then and we threw up a few ideas, but we'll leave it to them and we'll just try to get the horse fit and get it on the right day."
Asked if Serpentine could now go to Group 1 Queen Elizabeth (2000m) at Randwick on April 13, Bott said: "Potentially, yeah, if Nick and (the other part-owners) want to go that way."
Berry makes amends aboard Olentia
Tommy Berry had no luck aboard Olentia in the Triscay Stakes first-up, but the top jockey made sure there weren't any traffic problems at Rosehill on Saturday.
After settling midfield, the Chris Waller-trained mare unleashed a withering run down the centre of the track to win the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes (1500m) by 2-1/2 lengths over a much-improved Arctic Glamour.
Berry was happy to get the win for Denise Martin's Star Thoroughbreds and said it made amends for his close second aboard Olentia in the Triscay.
"I guess I had a bit of redemption there from a couple of starts back," Berry said.
"I owed Denise (Martin) and connections and Chris (Waller) one, and I'm glad we were able to do it today. She deserves more success than what she's been given so far.
"She's on the improve and it just shows you what a trainer Chris is because I always thought she was better fresh."
Waller said Saturday's Emancipation Stakes hadn't originally been on the radar for Olentia but when she could only finish fourth over 1200m at Rosehill last weekend, he decided to step her up in distance.
"Today was an afterthought after she was disappointing last week," Waller said.
"We could see from her form that she either needed wet tracks, or further, so we've put her up over 1500 metres today.
"We'll regroup now and perhaps look at the Queen Of The Turf Stakes."
Country Boy Stars in Final lead-up
Bandi's Boy has firmed into $2.50 favouritism for next weekend's Country Championships Final after defeating a high-class field to win Saturday's Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes.
Trained by Danny Williams, who enjoyed a heady autumn carnival with Shelby Sixtysix two years ago, Bandi's Boy ($15) stormed down the outside to nab leader Malkovich ($26) in the final bounds and score by a half-neck with Roots ($13) another 1-1/2 lengths away third.
While Williams wasn't surprised by the win, he said the four-year-old had plenty of improvement to come with a view to next Saturday's $1 million Final.
"The back-up is what we've planned," Williams said.
"Obviously there is a bit of rain forecast next week and he needed that fitness. We've been a little bit soft on him coming into today, he'd only had the one gallop and a barrier trial leading in in the last four weeks.
"The horse just keeps getting better."
Another Wil books Doncaster start with Prelude win
Another Wil has booked his place in the Doncaster Mile and is now the outright favourite for the $4 million race after another dominant victory, this time at his Sydney debut.
Sent into Saturday's Group 3 Doncaster Prelude chasing the Doncaster Mile ballot exemption offered to the winner, Another Wil backed up his three convincing wins in Melbourne earlier this preparation with a 2-1/4 length success with Jamie Kah aboard.
It took the Ciaron Maher-trained gelding's overall record to five wins from seven starts and the four-year-old firmed to $3.50 favourite for next Saturday's Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m).
"I was a bit nervous," Kah said.
"I thought he was a freak, and he is one.
"It's nice to see him do that."
Another Wil ($1.75 fav) sat just off leader Amor Victorious before sprinting to the front approaching the final 200m of the 1500m race.
He defeated last year's winner Bandersnatch with Welwal in third.
Stable representative Johann Gerard-Dubord said Saturday's performance was what they wanted to see from the promising galloper ahead of the Doncaster.
"Up in grade but with a light weight, you want to see him do that," he said.
"While he keeps winning like that, we just never know how good he is."
Quote of the Day: "He's proven he is a good horse last week. Today was always a risk but one worth trying. Didn't come off." – Jockey Tom Marquand on the disappointing performance of Post Impressionist in the Tancred Stakes.
