EXPLOSIVE colt Raceway will be part of a three-pronged assault on next month’s $1m MRC Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) for his sire More Than Ready after a breathtaking debut win at Warwick Farm on Saturday.
The Gai Waterhouse trained colt turned in the single most impressive win by a two-year-old so far this season powering away from his rivals to win the ATC Warwick Farm 100 Club Handicap (1000m) by 4-lens posting a class record time of 56.85s reeling off a sizzling 33.13s last 600m sectional.
”He’s the nicest two-year-old I’ve ridden for quite some time,” winning jockey Hugh Bowman said. ”He was slow to jump but got straight into stride. He’s such a relaxed animal, that won’t be a problem.
”I was reluctant to stoke him up early but he overcame that (slow start) with his ability to muster pace and then relax for me.
”The horse makes his own luck, as good horses do! I’ve had nothing to do with this colt before today but hopefully I’ll have a bit more to do with him in future.”
Raceway bears some uncanny similarities with 2008 Golden Slipper winner, Sebring.
Both colts are chestnuts by super sire More Than Ready out of their respective Flying Spur dams.
Both colts were bred and sold by George Altomonte (Corumbene Stud) for around the same money – Sebring cost $130,000 at the Magic Millions while Raceway was sold for $150,000 at the 2011 Australian Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Most of the owners who raced Sebring are part of the Raceway syndicate put together by Denise Martin.
”The owners have been waiting for the right colt to name Raceway and it was only last August that the name became available,” Martin said. ”They have named both colts after Sebring Raceway in America.
”Gai has always had a very big opinion of Raceway. This colt has loads of natural ability and has a lot of improvement in him. It’s exciting for all of us.”
Raceway is More Than Ready’s fifth individual 2YO winner so far this season joining Maribyrnong Plate winner Cambiaso, Flemington debutante Samaready, Golden Slipper bound Faustus and the SA winner, Juliet’s Princess.
Patinack Farm filly, Dysfunction was runner-up in the BRC Calaway Gal Stakes (1000m) at Doomben last month while having her first start in a race.
”More Than Ready is having a fantastic year, probably his best start to a season because of the depth of his two-year-old winners,” Vinery’s Adam White said.
”Raceway is obviously the talk of the town and for good reason but I don’t think Danny O’Brien (Cambiaso) or John O’Shea (Faustus) would be swapping their horses just yet, and Mick Price is keen to get Samaready on the Blue Diamond trail.”
