Formal Display has significantly boosted his standing as one of racing’s most improved performers with a characteristic tough win in the Group 3 $1.5 million Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Having begun the year in a modest benchmark 78, Formal Display has maintained a relentless winning campaign, climbing through the grades and marking this career-best victory as a testament to his development.
However, trainers Annabel and Rob Archibald have their sights firmly set on an even grander prize: the Listed $3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day, November 3.
“Formal Display obviously got qualified early on in the Tamworth Cup and from that day onwards we knew the Big Dance would be his Grand Final,” Annabel Archibald stated. “We have been able to ‘prep’ accordingly so it was always the Bill Ritchie, this race and then the Big Dance.”
“The Big Dance is obviously the Grand Final but happy to win $1.5 million race on the way through – and he has plenty of improvement to come,” she added.
Guided by a superb ride from Kerrin Mcevoy, Formal Display ($26) overcame a wide starting position to race on the speed and then hold off his challengers in the straight, winning by a long neck from the closing Estadio Mestalla ($21). Linebacker ($5) finished a further half length behind in third.
Sepals, the $4.20 favourite, encountered issues on the turning track and, after showing signs of improvement, appeared to shorten stride before being eased to the rear of the field.
McEvoy, wearing the colours of Triple Crown Racing, a stable he has seen great success with, notably during Redzel’s dual Everest triumphs in 2017-18, produced a brilliant performance to guide Formal Display to victory.
“It was my first time on him but Annabel and Rob said he was in nice form,” McEvoy commented. “They gave me a blank canvas, left it up to me how to ride the horse from that barrier. “I said to the guys beforehand I could be anywhere from first four to 6th, 7th, 8th but he was in good form going around and felt nice and bright.”
“He had to do a little bit of work to get across and I played it by ear on how he stepped away. “Then he stepped really well so we were able to burn across and he got a bit of a cheap sectional down the side so he filled his lungs up and away he went.”
Formal Display has now secured five wins from his seven starts this year and is scheduled to head directly to the Big Dance on the first Tuesday of November.
Archibald, who recently gave birth to the couple’s first child, Margot, was back at a Saturday race meeting for the first time in some months and was celebrating the stable’s most significant victory of the season.
“I haven’t been racing on a Saturday for awhile so I might have to tell Rob to stay home a bit more,” she quipped. “But it was no surprise to us that Formal Display won although I was a little surprised by his odds to be honest. Maybe it was the (wide) barrier.”
“We were a little bit worried about the map but Kerrin (McEvoy) made the right decision (early). “The intent was always to be forward but we weren’t sure quite where. “I thought we were going to be wide at one stage so I was happy he kept pressing (forward) as he is a horse that you can come back and control races on. “But once he got there he didn’t get attacked, it looked like he relaxed well and obviously he had a lightweight. “He is very progressive and Triple Crown have another nice horse on their hands.”
With the Big Dance at Royal Randwick on the horizon, keen bettors are checking the latest racing odds.