Panzer Division has displayed an exceptional turn of foot to overcome a talented field of three-year-olds and win the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) at Royal Randwick this afternoon, finishing in the clear of Shooting To Win and Lady Sharapova.
Panzer Division has secured an impressive victory in the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality. Photo: Steve Hart
Jumping from the gates well, Panzer Division was immediately led to the lead by jockey Tye Angland; maintaining a noticeably quick pace over the back straight and rounding the bend.
Finding the final straight with a clear racing line, the Redoute’s Choice colt strolled clear of the main pack alongside Valentia, comfortably breaking clear to find the line two lengths in the clear of the fast-finishing Shooting To Win.
Trainer Paul Messara was understandably pleased with Panzer Division’s performance in the 2014 Ming Dynasty Quality, underlining his impressive run for second in the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) two weeks ago as the key to this afternoon’s success.
“He was still really green last start and I knew he’d taken plenty of improvement out of the run, he was coming off a bit of a break there,” Messara said.
“I knew he was going to be a fitter, faster horse than he was last time in but you never know on this type on ground – he blundered a few times in the straight so it was a big effort.
“He’s always shown us plenty and today, with three runs now behind him, he’s going to be a very nice horse going forward.
“The form from two weeks ago has obviously held up here, so we’re just going to have to wait and see – we’ll let the dust settle and go from there.”
Tye Angland delivered an exceptional ride on Panzer Division in the 2014 Ming Dynasty Quality, believing the three-year-old still has plenty of improvement to come.
“Today he’s bounced back and won the race clearly,” Angland said immediately after dismounting.
“My horse will be a ten-times better horse ridden quiet and just in behind; he just wants to follow a horse, he’s so green.
“When he came into the straight he was having a look about, had a look at the big screen and everything so he’s got a lot of improvement to him and he’s a really nice horse.”
Without doubt securing his best result to date in the 2014 Ming Dynasty Quality, Panzer Division is yet to finish worse than second in three starts, having taken out the Golden Label Thoroughbreds Maiden (1200m) on debut in his only other start prior to the Up And Coming Stakes.
