The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained galloper Fully Lit dictated terms for much of the Group 3 $250,000 Cameron Handicap (1500m), while Bjorn Baker’s Perfumist finished strongly to take out the Group 3 $250,000 Tibbie Stakes (1400m).
Fully Lit’s Cameron Handicap victory confirms his eligibility for The Big Dance, which takes place on Melbourne Cup Day, November 3. However, there is another feature Randwick mile race that could be a target before then.
Fully Lit ran second in last year’s Group 1 Epsom Handicap behind the champion mare Autumn Glow and is very favourably weighted with 50kg for a second attempt at the $1.5 million feature mile at Royal Randwick on October 3.
Stable representative Neil Paine was quick to praise jockey Regan Bayliss after Fully Lit ($5.50) fought off challengers in the straight to win by one-and-a-quarter lengths from I’mintowin ($6.50). Mr Miller ($1.80 favourite) was a further half-length back in third.
“When Regan walked out to ride the horse he was very confident and said he wanted to go to the front,” Paine said. “It was a great ride and Fully Lit is just a tough, little horse. He’s run second in an Epsom, he won a $2 million race (Inglis Millennium) and now he has come here and won a Cameron.
“He’s been a great horse for his owners, for Red Fox Racing, and for Gai and Adrian.”
Fully Lit, who finished third in the Cameron Handicap last year behind Headley Grange, was in top form today, according to jockey Bayliss.
“That was a peak performance from the horse,” Bayliss stated. “He took complete control of the race and was too good.”
Earlier, Perfumist ($3.60 favourite) was ridden with confidence by Rachel King, accelerating away from her rivals in the straight to win the Tibbie Stakes by two-and-a-half lengths from Mareth ($10). Polymnia ($5) finished third, almost a length behind the second horse.
“She deserved that,” King said of Perfumist’s dominant win.
“This preparation she is bigger, stronger and more mature. She has always shown promise and hopefully she can continue to improve.
“She has a good turn of foot and will get a lot of confidence out of that win. She is going super.”
Although Baker was not present for Perfumist’s easy victory, stable manager Luke Hilton confirmed the trainer has significant plans for the talented mare. These include the Group 3 Angst Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Everest Day, October 17, and then the Listed $3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Royal Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day, November 3.
“Perfumist was fantastic today,” Hilton said.
“Full credit to Bjorn, he’s done an amazing job. She hasn’t had the best first-up record but Bjorn did things differently this time, giving her an exhibition gallop and a couple of good gallops at home, and it has paid off.
“She is right on target for the Angst and the Big Dance.”
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