Favourite punters had a good day at Rosehill with Skyhook (Written Tycoon) becoming the sixth favourite to win on the ten race card. The four-year-old entire’s victory in the Gr.2 Shannon Stakes keeps him unbeaten for this campaign, having won the Gr.2 Theo Marks Stakes when resuming.
Jockey Kerrin McEvoy sent him to the lead after jumping well and he led the field from gate to post. Joe Pride-trained Private Eye (Al Maher) who settled in second for most of the running, held on for third as his stablemate Estadio Mestalla (IRE) (Galileo Gold {GB}) swamped him for second.
But it was all Skyhook who kept extending his lead to win by three lengths.
“Dry tracks, wet tracks. Lead, sit back. Pretty bloody handy,” Ryan said of Skyhook’s versatility.
“Beautiful ride. I thought the topweight would probably lead and we’d take the sit, but Kerrin was more, let’s put it to him and make him chase us because we’re still on our way up. My query today was 1300 to 1500 second-up, but he’s coped. He’s done it well.”
He won’t go to the Gr.1 Epsom in two weeks as he goes better with a longer break between runs.
“I’ve tested him now two weeks apart and no, he’s not going to the Epsom. I’ll probably freshen him up a little bit, get the freshness in his legs for the Silver Eagle. The Golden Eagle is a different kettle of fish, but it’s a $10 million race, 1500 metres at Randwick. He’s in form, we’ll have a crack.”
Skyhook has won six of his 15 starts and over $1.1 million. Winner of the Gr.3 Pago Pago Stakes at two and twice a Group 3 winner at three, he’s now a dual Group 2 winner at four.
Written for TTRAusNZ
