Foxwedge Upsets Hay List To Win William Reid Stakes

While many had thought the William Reid Stakes would be a one horse race, Foxwedge proved them wrong with a surprise win over Hay List at Moonee Valley tonight.

The three-year-old colt proved too good for Hay List in the final stages of the race, running the six-year-old star down over the last furlong.

The result, which saw Hay List finished second by three quarters of a length, has fuelled speculation that Hay List has failed to recover fully from a stone bruise he sustained earlier in the week.

While he was passed fit to run by Moonee Valley stewards, the injury may have led to his unexpected defeat.

Foxwedge has now won five of his 12 race starts and has earned more than $890,000 in prize money.

Stable representative for trainer John O’Shea, Bryce Heyes, was over the moon with Foxwedge’s first Group 1 win.

“We went close in the spring,” Heyes said.

“We knew we could get revenge. We knew we could get it at Group 1 level.

“It’s a credit to John (O’Shea).

“Foxwedge has deserved this night tonight.

“He’s never let us down when we’ve come to the races.”

Foxwedge will now head overseas to England to run in the 2012 King Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 19, 2012.

“Well that’s where he can go now and he’s justified going over there,” Heyes said.

Nash Rawiller produced the winning ride aboard Foxwedge.

“He’s got a tremendous turn of foot,” Rawiller said.

“He’s a colt I just had such a big opinion since day one.

‘He’s got that real X factor about him.

“I was confident a long way from home.

“He’s a damn good horse.”

Foxwedge first burst onto the scene 12 months ago when finishing third behind Smart Missile and Sepoy in the Group 2 Todman Stakes, and has remained in top form ever since.

 

 

 

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