BY their own admission, the Michael Costa stable at Warwick Farm were essentially using yesterday’s Class 1 Handicap at Tyers Park as a comfortable means of easing Shebrings Class back into racing after a six-month spell.
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The five-year-old mare had other ideas.
With help from a perfect ride from Rachael Murray, the five-year-old picked up the second win of her career in the 1106- metre dash, and looked like she barely had to get out of second gear to do it.
For the big syndicate of owners who took the $6.50 on offer for her as well as their share of the prizemoney, it was a nice day to be at the track.
And a surprising one.
“Absolutely that was a huge shock. To see her run that well was very surprising,” Costa stable foreman Fabian Welk said.
“We did expect her to run a good race, but today was all about getting some fitness back into her after a long time in the paddock.
“To be realistic, we were probably looking at her third-up race as one that we might be able to set her for as far as winning goes.”
David Vandyke’s entry It’s All Irish dominated punters’ attention pre-race and he started as a $3.10 favourite, while the best local chance looked to be Dean Mirfin’s Super Pig ($9.30).
He had enjoyed his only previous success on a wet Bathurst track, and he was one to watch on a surface rated a heavy eight.
At one point in the race he looked poised to deliver on that promise, but he couldn’t really get going in the straight.
Murray took Shebrings Class from gate nine across to the front early on after Super Pig and It’s All Irish both looked prominent in the first 100m.
Settling on the rail and easing to a lead of a little over a length, the daughter of former Golden Slipper and Sires Produce Stakes winner Sebring out of Crown Princess was in cruise control.
The moves began to come at the top of the straight as Jeff Penza tried to coax a big finish out of It’s All Irish, and Tony Cavallo did likewise on Super Pig wide on the track.
Both failed to really wind up and take ground off the leader and, in the end, it was a huge run from Magic Season ($9.70) that really caught the eye as he got to within a length-and-a-quarter of Shebrings Class on the line.
It’s All Irish was a long neck back in third.
“That was basically the perfect run; she settled nicely and never looked in any real trouble,” Welk said.
“It has been a sad few days in racing after Bart Cummings passed away, but things like this remind you of the fun part of racing.”
Cummings was acknowledged at the track yesterday as many involved in the meeting sported black armbands.
