Chris Waller-trained stayers were to the fore in the Listed Parramatta Cup (1900m) at Rosehill on Saturday with the master-trainer sending out six of the first eight, including the New Zealand-bred trifecta, but it was all about the winner Mightybeel.
The four-year-old Savabeel gelding had a little freshen-up after winning the Listed Christmas Cup (2400m) at Randwick in early December and is on-track to raise the bar further this preparation.
Sporting the colours of Kiwi syndicators Go Racing, Mightybeel has benefited from patient handling and derived good improvement from his first-up run for seventh over a mile.
The progressive stayer will be pointed towards the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) this campaign and cruised to victory under Tommy Berry on Saturday, with two-and-a-half lengths to spare from former Bill Thurlow-trained galloper No Compromise, with Toomuchtobear third.
“It is not too often in staying races where around the 1200m-mark you’re just giggling to yourself, but he just travelled so sweetly for me today,” Berry said.
“He has come back a much more relaxed type this preparation. He took all before him last prep but he still wanted to fight you at times in a race.
“This preparation he has really come into his own and I was going pretty good going past the furlong.
“His run had a lot of merit first up and he let down really well for me, it was just a slowly run race. It was probably just a little bit hidden.”
With the Rosehill track rated a Soft6, Mightybeel has proved versatile across multiple track surfaces.
“Looking at his form, his best form is on top of the ground. He obviously handles that (Soft 6). I am not sure how he would handle heavy,” Berry said.
“He is quite exciting as he can go to the next level now and he is in at the right time of the year.”
Mightybeel was purchased by Albert Bosma’s Go Racing for $200,000 at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale from the Book 1 draft of Little Avondale Stud. He has now won six of his 15 starts, with a further four placings and A$347,455 in prizemoney.
Bred by Barlow Thoroughbred Ltd, Mightybeel is by Savabeel out of the Alamosa mare Super Power and comes from the extended family of Might And Power.
The gelding did his early education in New Zealand under Pukekohe horsewoman Kylie Grass, for whom he was a trial winner.
By Waikato Stud’s outstanding sire Savabeel, the champion stallion will be represented by 41 yearlings at the forthcoming New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales, which commence at Karaka on March 7. – NZ Racing Desk
