Terravista will return to Group 1 level for the 2015 Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley on October 23 after he returned to racing with a strong win in the 2015 Premiere Stakes at Royal Randwick this afternoon.
Terravista returned to winning form with a strong effort in the 2015 Premiere Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
Jockey Hugh Bowman was expected to press forward and settle Terravista in the first half of the Premiere Staked field, but the talented hoop elected to let the leaders go early and the son of Captain Rio was second last at the 600 metre mark.
Bowman opted not to take Terravista to the outside of the Premiere Stakes and he instead elected to find a gap between runners in the straight, a decision that paid off when Terravista took the gap and unleashed an impressive turn-of-foot to record a strong win from a fast-finishing Rebel Dane.
Bowman is set to partner Winx in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) later this afternoon, but he revealed after the race that he thought Terravista was his best ride on the card and he was always confident that the six-year-old would return to winning form in the Premiere Stakes.
“I have a lovely book of rides today and I have been in the placings a few times and I still have some good ones left, but I thought that this guy was the pick of my rides today and he hasn’t disappointed,” Bowman said.
“He didn’t race to the level that we know he can (in the autumn) and for one reason or another he just didn’t show his best, but he is on track to defend his Darley crown in Melbourne.
“He is a straightforward horse, he is easy to ride and he is a really relaxed animal.
“When you need him he is like an F1, he really has an engine and it is a privilege to ride a horse like him.”
Joe Pride has always been of the opinion that Terravista is the world’s best sprinter and he was thrilled to see the talented galloper return to racing with a win in the Premiere Stakes.
Pride is confident that Terravista still has plenty of improvement left in him and he is confident that his star sprinter will take plenty of benefit from that run ahead of the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) in three weeks.
“He is pretty soft and he has a heap of improvement in him, so it was nice to see him do that today,” Pride said.
“The acceleration was there today and that is what I wanted to see.
“I just leave it to Hughie, he is a pretty versatile horse and he wasn’t lightning away, but the pace was pretty good.
“I am really pleased with that.”
Rebel Dane produced another strong performance to finish second, while That’s A Good Idea was able to tough it out on the speed for third.
