Redzel led from start to finish to return to winning form in the 2017 Hall Mark Stakes at Royal Randwick this afternoon.

Redzel returned to winning form in the 2017 Hall Mark Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart

Redzel was narrowly denied by English in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick on March 4 and Russian Revolution in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 18, but there was no denying him in the Hall Mark Stakes.

Kerrin McEvoy went straight to the lead in the Hall Mark Stakes and he was able to control the race from the outset, while both Hellbent and Takedown settled just behind the speed.

Counterattack challenged Redzel at the top of the straight and Hellbent loomed on the outside, but Redzel was too strong for his rivals and raced away late to record an impressive victory.

McEvoy was delighted to see Redzel return to winning form following his two close second place finishes and he believes that there are some nice races for the Snitzel gelding during the 2017 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.

“It was a trip that he hadn’t been good at before – he had a couple of goes without running a placing,” McEvoy said.

“The conditions suited off a nice second in The Galaxy and he was able to dictate it today.

“Peter and Paul have handled him well and he had a nice freshen-up coming into today.

“He does better in the stable and he is a nice horse to do anything with.

“It is pleasing to see him win here today and there are some races up there during the Carnival in Brisbane.”

Counterattack returned to a semblance of his best form with a second place finish in the Hall Mark Stakes and he is another horse that could make the trip to Queensland for the Winter Carnival.

Hellbent was not disgraced in third and continued his run of running well without winning throughout his Autumn campaign.