MORE Joyous will seek to add a sixth Group 1 win to her awesome resume come Derby day after the glamour mare burst back into form with a determined win in the Group 2 MRC Tristarc Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on the weekend.
The daughter of More Than Ready was having only her second start this spring following a first-up third behind star colt Sepoy in the Group 1 MVRC Manikato Stakes (1200m) on September 30.
Saturday’s race was expected to be a match-race between More Joyous ($1.85) and frequent sparring partner Sister Madly ($4.20) which is exactly how it played it.
Aided by a good draw and a clever Damien Oliver ride, Sister Madly set up what appeared to be a winning break at the 200m with More Joyous doing the chasing.
Inside the final 50m however More Joyous’ superior finishing speed and her incredible will-to-win prevailed, reminiscent of her epic Toorak Handicap win at the same venue a little over 12 months.
”She was struggling a little during the race and Nash (Rawiller) was niggling at her to improve her position coming to the home turn,” trainer Gai Waterhouse said. ”But she found a way to win and that’s what champions can do.
”She was struggling a little during the race and Nash was niggling at her to improve her position coming to the home turn,” Waterhouse said. ”But she found a way to win and that’s what champions can do.”
More Joyous has won 15 times from 21 starts with earnings of close to $2.5 million.
