The Ilovethiscity filly produced a blinder when she defeated the race favourite in a photo finish. She beat the odds gave her trainer Ben Smith a reason to smile at the 2018 Sires Produce Stakes held at the Randwick Racecourse on Saturday 7th April at the The Championships Day 1 race meeting.
“I convinced the owner to run after she pulled up fantastic at Newcastle,” Smith said. “We thought she’d run well. Her last couple of starts she’s been on the pace. We just wanted her ridden quiet to get the 1400m. Damian Lane gave her a peach of a ride and as she was coming around the turn we thought she’d run well.”
Smith is likely to send El Dorado Dreaming for this third leg of the two YO Triple Crown, the Group 1 Champagne Stakes to be held at Randwick. “The way she ran today, I think she’ll be up to it. I don’t think she will be that price though,” he said. “We’re starting to get some better quality horses now which makes my job easier and to win this race is pretty special.”
The Tony McEvoy trained Oohood came in second and Outrageous came in third.
Tony was happy but not content on his filly’s, Oohood’s performance. “Ah bugger,” McEvoy said. “The other horse just had all the momentum and that’s what cost us in the end.”
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By Apurva Chavan, Racing Writer, apurva.chavan@secretariatsworld.com