Punters were left lamenting after odds on favourite Ichihara went under in the in the first race on Australian Derby day at Randwick today.
Corey Brown was in trouble on Ichihara right from the start when the filly missed the kick and was back off the pace instead of taking up her usual front running position in the Group 3 $125,000 Matrium Financial Kindergarten Stakes (1100m).
Dances On Stars (inside) wins the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes from Agueda - photo (c) Steve Hart
Then in the straight Brown had to change course on several occasions before getting into the clear but was unable run down Dances On Stars and Agueda and wound up in third spot, one and a half lengths from the winner.
Winning trainer Gerald Ryan has a Brisbane Winter Carnival in stall for Dances On Stars after Glyn Schofield was able to give the Snitzel colt a good run in front on the fence before holding the challenges of the second and third horses.
“When Ichihara missed the start, it made me a lot more confident. The horse had done well, he came back really good, we gave him that extra time with intentions of running today and go to Queensland with him,” Ryan said.
“That’s the plan with him because he’s owned in Queensland. He’s a nice horse, a fresh horse on the scene and I was quite happy with him going into the race.”
A $95,000 buy for Dynamic Syndications, Ryan will target the feature two year old races with Dances On Stars over the Winter, including the Group 2 $250,000 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 2.
Schofield knew the favourite was in trouble when she didn’t lead and was happy to dictate the race from up front.
“I was quite happy to see the favourite miss the start. That meant she was bottled up and didn’t use her asset which was her speed. From barrier one I really didn’t want to lead because I presumed that Corey would, but when he missed the kick I was quite happy to hold everyone out and be ready to pounce,” Schofield said.
Ichihara was heavily backed to start the $1.65 favourite and was in trouble from the start, with the winner Dances On Stars starting at the good odds of $6.50, with runnerup Agueda at $5.
