A runaway win by Junoob in the Listed $125,000 Feeny’s Irish Cream Randwick City Stakes (2000m) at Randwick today has forced trainer Chris Waller to rethink the gelding’s Autumn Carnival program.
Junoob scores a runaway 5 length victory in the Randwick City Stakes. Photo by Steve Hart
Back on a drier racing surface, Junoob was able to turn around his last start defeat as favourite when third to stablemate Opinion on a slow track in the Listed $125,000 Parramatta Cup (1900m) at Rosehill on March 1.
Winning jockey James McDonald had Junoob travelling in second spot throughout the race and couldn’t believe it when the import easily ran away from the small field to score a five length victory over Opinion back on a dead track.
Waller will now look at stepping Junoob up in class after that impressive win and hasn’t ruled out any of the major races coming up over the Sydney Autumn Carnival.
“He was much better today,” Waller said.
“It shows that he is pretty versatile horse that is now confident.”
“I thought it was a good run and obviously on a better track.”
“We could step up a little bit. It’s hard with the Ranvet next week. He is realistically a win or two away from that. We will have a think about it.”
“And does he get a little bit further, a race like the BMW. It wouldn’t be me to be running in those races as per usual. We will just wait and see.”
The Group 1 $500,000 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) is run at Rosehill next week followed by the Group 1 $1.5m The BMW (2400m) at Rosehill two weeks later, both at weight for age.
McDonald was excited by the ease of the win of Junoob and is looking for more improvement in the future.
“There is really positive signs going forward, especially on a good track,” McDonald said.
Junoob was well supported in the betting ring to start the $2.25 favourite ahead of Opinion at $2.90 while the third placegetter from the Gai Waterhouse stable started at the good odds of $8.
Waller narrowly missed out on saddling up the trifecta with Bayrir ($15) just getting nose out of the placings to finish fourth.
