Peggy Jean wins first Group 1 in Sires Produce Stakes 2014

The 2014 Sires Produce Stakes results saw Peggy Jean win the first Group 1 on the first day of ‘The Championships’ at Randwick today.

Peggy Jean holds off Scratch Me Lucky to win the Sires Produce Stakes

Peggy Jean holds off Scratch Me Lucky to win the Sires Produce Stakes. Photo by Steve Hart.

Trainer Gerald Ryan’s decision to skip the Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill last week with Peggy Jean and concentrate on today’s Group 1 $1m Inglis Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) was rewarded handsomely.

Peggy Jean ($3.80) was able to draw away from her only challenger Scratch Me Lucky ($26) over the final fifty metres to score a clear cut half length win with Cornrow ($26) fighting off the rest the field for third, six lengths behind the winner.

Peggy Jean’s stablemate Believe Yourself, the $3.30 favourite, was well beaten on the heavy track to finish tenth.

The in-form Nash Rawiller has a very high opinion of the Myboycharlie filly and said that she would be an ideal Thousand Guineas filly in the Spring.

“She is pretty special I reckon and just putting it together now. With the right bloke, he can pick his races here, you know. A Thousand Guineas filly written all over her in the Spring,” Rawiller said.

Ryan agreed with Rawiller and has always thought that Peggy Jean would be a better filly when the Spring comes around.

“She’s a good filly. Kerrin McEvoy rang me after riding her when she won in January and said that he thought that she would be a better filly in the Spring,” Ryan said.

“I agree with him but when they are two year olds and they are going good you have a crack.”

Ryan has no regrets about missing the Golden Slipper and Triple Crown Syndicators Michael and Chris Ward can now celebrate a Group 1 win with their huge legion of owners.

“I said to the Triple Crown boys Chris and Michael that she wasn’t a Golden Slipper filly, she was more a Sires – Champagne and we have just aimed her towards that. They have been terrific, the owners have been understanding, could have had a runner in the slipper, but have waited for the next two.”

“It’s a Group 1 and they can’t take it from us.”

Peggy Jean will start as one of the top fancies in the Group 1 $400,000 Moet & Chandon Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick in two weeks time.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.