Rose wins the chase
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Chinchilla Rose (outside) hits the front in the QTC Cup (Noel Pascoe photo)
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Chinchilla Rose had to dig deep to pick up her second Group 2 win, this time in the TCL Electronics QTC Cup 1300m at Eagle Farm on May 31.
The $4.40 race-favourite drifted back on jumping and jockey Stephen Baster found themselves three deep but the filly was courageous in the final straight and went onto chase down Black Ink (Jim Byrne).
“After we got a furlong, my saddle actually slipped and I was a bit concerned,” Baster said.
“I managed to keep it going so we had a good run, three deep cover and I was always happy to have something to chase. The other day I hit the front and I reckon she half star gazed a bit so I think it does suit her if she’s got something to chase.”
The filly found the front only moments from the line finishing a long neck ahead of Black Ink with Toowoomba gelding Easy Rocker (Lacey Morrison) a further length away in third place.
Three starts earlier, Chinchilla Rose claimed the Group 2 Surround Stakes 1400m at Randwick and has raced well in the two lead-up races to her most recent Group 2 win at Eagle Farm. Last start the filly ran a close second in the Listed Glenlogan Park Stakes 1350m missing out on the win by a long head. Previous to that run, the filly ran eighth at the Gold Coast in the Listed Silk Stocking 1200m when only a length separated the eight horses.
Trainer Steele Ryan was pleased everything went right for the filly and will now surge towards the Group 1 AAMI Stradbroke Handicap 1400m after the win gave the filly an exemption from the ballot for the race.
“I thought it was a good ride (at Doomben last week). I might have just had her a touch underdone. As far as fitness is concerned,” Ryan said.
“I said to the owners today ‘I wish the Stradbroke was today’, I thought she was spot on. Now it’ll just be our job this week to get her home, get her to the beach for the best part of the week, try and back her up next week and do it again.”
It was always part of the plan to gain a start in the Stradbroke Handicap with the filly.
“That’s been our aim all the way through. We weren’t able to qualify before today so we had to opt for this qualifying race today and to her credit she was brave today. It was a good run,” Ryan said.
“We were sixes and sevens there (on the state of the track). She won a trial at Rosehill on a very heavy track there one day and she led that day and she wasn’t very impressive. Two runs on the dead for two wins…where she handled the wet alright gave us some confidence.
“She backed up state to state, Brisbane to Sydney and handled it so we’re confident she’ll back up well this week.
“It’s good to know she can handle it now (wet track).”
QUEENSLAND Racing web news: Claire Power – June 3
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