Nine months after winning on debut at Kembla Grange, the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Moss Trip returned to show her impressive potential on Saturday.
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The three-year-old filly, crunched in from a $3.90 opening price to jump at $2, was pushed off every set of heels by jockey Rory Hutchings before scoring by two lengths.
It was Moss Trip's first start in 112 days since finishing third at the Illawarra Turf Club in a Benchmark 63 (1400m) in September, having won at Kembla Grange back in April, in a 1000m two-year-old handicap. Hutchings settled last on the rail in Saturday's Benchmark 65 over 1300m and struggled to find a run, before steering her to be the widest runner and flashing over the top.
It was a successful afternoon for the Snowdens, who triumphed with Emoclew at the eighth attempt in the previous race.
And then shortly after, the Triple Crown Syndications – owners of The Everest winner Redzel, including Illawarra connections – struck again, as Glyn Schofield won aboard Emporer's Way at Randwick, in a race where Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker's four-year-old gelding Invicta, which faded later at his first trip over the 1800m.
“We were always travelling sweetly,” Schofield said, after pushing between runners in the straight.
“I didn’t want him to over race so we just settled a couple of pairs back. He travelled very well for me. There was a bit of an anxious moment when I put him into a narrow run and just wanted to see what desire he had and he loved it. He shouldered his way into the run and was strong to the line.”
However, Parker had more success when Roya's Dream continued her rise on Saturday.
Roya's Dream had already secured an impressive Class 2 win over 1460m at Queanbeyan in December, before being beaten by a half-length in a Benchmark 60 (1425m) at Moruya on Christmas Eve, having led.
Continuing the steady progress this preparation, Jon Grisedale piled on the pressure outside the Mark Newnham-trained four-year-old gelding - which jumped as $1.95 favourite after opening at $3.30 - before dashing away to win by more than two lengths, in a Benchmark 67 over 1500m.
"Roya’s Dream has maintained her rich vein of form with another solid win on the back of a perfect ride," Parker said later.
Meanwhile, the short-price Anthony Cummings-trained Rotterdam drove up along the rail to finish over the top of James Cummings’ Godolphin starter Deity in the 1000m Maiden Plate.