A decision to race forward from a wide gate paid rich dividends for Goulburn trainer Danielle Seib last Saturday when Urafiki led all the way in the Class 3 TAB Highway Handicap over 1500 metres at Rosehill.
Despite drawing barrier 11 in the 12- horse field, apprentice Zac Wadick was able to cross to the fence and take up the lead on the chestnut Written Tycoon mare.
Once in front, Wadick was able to dictate terms, setting a dawdling pace and turning the race into a sprint home.
The mare was able to hold off the fast-finishing Adolphus by a long head, with a further length and three-quarters third-placed Tapa Kick.
“You don’t often get what just happened,” said Seib in reference to the slow tempo. “We were drawn ‘sticky’ and she’s always raced handy enough to the speed so I just let Zac know that she was very fit — give her a squeeze out and see what happens.
“They probably handed up a bit easily.
“I didn’t think we’d end up in front but she travelled really well and it was a great steer.”
Urafiki, who was unplaced from five starts when she arrived in Seib’s stable, has three wins and two placings from five starts since.
“She had good provincial Super Maiden form when she joined our stable,” Seib said. She came to us from Joe Pride in terrific condition.
“The owner said that the bloke who suggested her to him at the sales said she wasn’t going to be a three-year-old, she was going to be a four-year-old and she’d need at least 1400 metres — and he was right.
“Off that run, she might run a mile (1600m). She was a bit warm pre-race so there’s improvement in her.
“We’ll probably give her a little break now. Maybe one more — we’ll see how she comes through it.”
Urafiki wasn’t entirely friendless in the betting last Saturday. She was backed in from $26 to $19 so some either astute or lucky punters would have done well for themselves.
Later in the afternoon, the Seib stable was celebrating another win when $1.70 favourite, Hellinda, ridden by Pierre Boudvillain, took out the opening race at the Sapphire Coast, a 1200-metre maiden.
Ryan lauds mature Hotpot
Believers in the adage about a mare in form would have got off to a flying start at Rosehill, as hot on the heels of Urafiki’s win came Spicy Hotpot ($5.50) completing a hat-trick in race two, the benchmark 72 Midway over 1350 metres.
Trained at Wyong by Sara Ryan and ridden by Reece Jones, trained Spicy Hotpot prevailed by a half-length over Pretty Tavi with Silentsar a neck further away in third.
“She’s come in a different horse,” Ryan said. “She’s more mature. Her head’s more screwed on and she’s not as spicy as she was as a young horse.
“At the breakers she was a nutbag. When Mark (trainer Mark Newnham) had her she was an absolute nutcase and would cook herself but she’s more mature now.”
Jones added that the race “set up really well”.
“On paper we thought there was going to be a lack of speed but they were out running and that gave us the opportunity to drop in, get a bit of cover, switch off and conserve her energy.
“She’s quite a hot filly and got stirred up pre-race but once we were behind the gates, she settled.”
Spicy Hotpot, who won one of four starts as a filly for Newnham, now has five wins from 21.
Alive arrives, just
The hits kept coming for the out-of-town females at Rosehill, with Hawkesbury filly Art’s Alive taking the fifth, a 1200-metre benchmark 78, at odds of $51.
It was an impressive win by the Brad Widdup-trained filly as she was trapped in a pocket for much of the straight before jockey Jay Ford found a gap near the fence.
On seeing daylight, Art’s Alive charged through to nail Stagnum right on the line by a half-head with Polygot a short neck further away in third place.
“There wasn’t many paths going on so I had to wait and wait,” Ford said.
“But the flipside of that, when I got some room inside the last (200 metres), she really responded to me. She found the line strongly. It’s an important Saturday win for her and it was a good win.”
Widdup took out the 1500-metre Class 1 at Newcastle the same afternoon with another three-year-old filly, Calyx Rose ($5). Training honours, however, went to Mark Minervini with a double, both winners ridden by Lee Magorrian.
At Doomben the same afternoon, Murwillumbah trainer Mathew Dunn made yet another successful foray across the Queensland border to take out the 1350-metre Class 2 handicap with $1.95 favourite Fukubana, ridden by Andrew Mallyon.
Dunn was back in the winner’s circle the following day with a double at his home track.
Fire all the way
Kembla Grange gelding Direct Fire ($5.50) was too tough for his rivals in Sunday’s $80,000 Bega Cup (1600m) at the Sapphire Coast, leading all the way under Amy McLucas for trainer Theresa Bateup.
Earlier, the $50,000 Bega Sprint (1200m) went to well supported $2.20 favourite Ticklebelly, trained at Goulburn by Scott Collings and ridden by Pierre Boudvillain.
The $50,000 Super Maiden (1400m) went to $1.40 favourite Divine Ella, ridden by Jean Van Overmeire and trained at Kembla by Paul Murray.
Three cups coming up
This Friday is cup day at Walcha, with the feature over 1440 metres and celebrating its 140th running. The main supporting race at the Northern Tablelands track will be the $35,000 Lightning Handicap (1000m).
The cups action switches to the Southern Tablelands on Saturday, with the Braidwood Cup to be run over 1350 metres.
Further west, in the Riverina, it’s Tumut Cup day, with the feature run over 1400 metres.