Trainer Nathan Doyle’s decision to geld the promising sprinter Funshow has been rewarded spectacularly, with the emerging four-year-old completing a hat-trick of victories in the Kia Ora Bloodlines to Headlines Handicap (1500m) at Rosehill.
Doyle acknowledged that Funshow exhibited considerable talent early in his racing career, but also displayed enough traits to convince the stable that gelding him was the proper course of action.
“Funshow was a rig but he showed us plenty,” Doyle said. “I thought we will leave him a colt but then he got beaten a furlong in a trial so we thought better geld him. He was a big, dumb bugger early days so we had to be patient with him. But he’s building confidence with every run and he loves to bowl along in front.”
Ridden flawlessly by Tim Clark, the $13 outsider controlled the speed before kicking clear in the straight to secure a 1¼ length win. Sponars ($18) and Barking Mad ($1.70 favourite) finished in a dead-heat for second.
The well-backed favourite, Columbus ($1.95), settled on the pace but was one-paced in the latter stages and raced greenly.
James McDonald suggested that the addition of blinkers could assist Columbus in realising his full potential.
Funshow has now won three races consecutively, boasting a record of three wins and four placings from just seven starts. Doyle was full of praise for Clark’s ride.
“He racked them, stacked them then booted away on the corner – he just out-rode them,” Doyle said.
Celebrating his birthday, Clark mentioned that the race unfolded precisely as he had anticipated.
“It looked like a race devoid of speed and he’s the type of horse that likes to sort of get into a nice rhythm and flow along,” Clark said. “He’s building confidence as he goes through his preparation and is maturing all the time.”
Doyle also provided an update on stable star Churchill’s Choice, confirming the mare has returned to work following her winter spell.
The talented mare has already qualified for The Big Dance after winning the Hawkesbury Gold Cup, followed by unfortunate runner-up performances in the Scone Cup and Magic Millions National Classic.
“I think Churchill’s Choice has a good race in her,” Doyle said. “What she did in Queensland, she was a million-to-one like the caller said, so her form to finish so close blows your mind. The Big Dance has the big prizemoney but we are also after black type with her.”
Doyle also confirmed that Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes winner Hidden Motive has returned to work at Newcastle.
“We are in no rush with him,” Doyle said. “He’s a Magic Millions horse which has good prizemoney for a horse like him.”
Earlier in the day, Richard and Will Freedman kicked off the new Sydney racing season in style when Attractiveness captured the opening Midway Handicap (1400m).
“We are on top of the premiership,” Will Freedman joked after the victory.
Sent out the $3.20 favourite, Attractiveness, ridden by Chad Schofield, charged home to defeat Krasina ($5) by just over a length, with Cape Byron ($6) another 2½ lengths away in third.
“She was strong late,” Freedman said. “She has a good turn of foot like you saw there but I feel in three or four months time you will see a better horse again. I was never concerned about winning a Midway at some stage with her, I’ve always thought she had the ability to do that. But she is a late mature and a lot of those Kiwi pedigrees are like that so we are excited to see where she gets to.”
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