The Black Cloud descends on Randwick rivals
Having begun the day questioning how well The Black Cloud had come back this campaign, Joe Pride ended it by labelling her a stakes-class horse in the making.
The Proven Thoroughbreds filly took her record to three wins from four starts with a rousing first-up victory in Saturday’s Taylor Construction Handicap (1000m) at Randwick, showing a new string to her bow by coming from off the speed to comfortably reel in her rivals.
While she had shown enormous promise at her initial preparation, Pride admitted her two trials had him wondering whether she had returned to work quite as well this campaign.
“We had in mind going to Scone with her and we just didn’t think she had trialled well enough to put her on a float and go all the way to Scone,” Pride said.
“She trialled, not conservatively, but maybe a little bit below what she was capable of doing.
“She’s a horse who turns up on race day with her best and we have continually seen that from her.
“She is a filly who is building a really good record and she’s going places.”
Despite Pride’s reservations, The Black Cloud started a $4.40 betting app favourite and had 1-1/4 lengths to spare over Passeggiata ($6) with Mogo Magic ($7) another nose back in third.
Pride was unsure of immediate plans for The Black Cloud saying he had been keen to see what she did first-up before deciding where to head.
“I wanted to see how she came back,” he said.
“You can get carried away saying you’re going to go here, here, and here and all of a sudden, you haven’t got the horse and you’ve told everyone where you’re going – I’ve been there a few times.
“It’s easy with good horses, but with progressive horses it is never that easy.”
While Pride doesn’t have an immediate target, he is confident The Black Cloud will measure up to stakes company at some stage.
“You’d have to think so because she is so lightly raced and she is already beating up the older horses, you’d have to suggest she could be (a black-type horse),” he said.
A race earlier, Tulloch Lodge three-year-old Invincible Spy upset the Classic hopes of several of his rivals with an all-the-way win in the Wilson Asset Management Handicap (1800m).
One of only three of the 13 runners not nominated for either the Queensland Oaks or Derby, Invincible Spy outpaced his opposition to pass his first test beyond a mile with flying colours.
Rachel King was given a rock-star reception on her return to scale, the jockey understandably popular with owners the Australian Chinese Jockey Club.
“I’ve won a Group One for them before, a lot of them were in Knights Order and Military Mission,” King said.
“I think nearly every good winner I’ve had for Gai (Waterhouse) and Adrian (Bott), they’ve been in.”
Invincible Spy ($10) made light of his 59kg top weight to win by a half-length over the Chris Waller-trained Concello ($13), who was doing her best work at the finish, with Ravello ($18) the same margin away third.
Waller’s assistant Charlie Duckworth said Concello would almost certainly press on to the Queensland Oaks in two weeks after going down narrowly.
“I’d say we will have to venture up because ultimately, they’re only three once and she is looking for distance,” Duckworth said.
“She’s got enough prizemoney to get in, it’s hard enough to get to these races and time-wise it works out perfectly.”
More Racing News
Vein Girl impresses in rich Magic Millions The Debut win
Vein Girl has put herself in contention for next month’s $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic with a strong win on debut under lights at the Gold Coast’s first night meeting. The Chris and Corey Munce-trained Vein Girl was sent out the $3.50 favourite with betting sites in Friday night’s $250,000...
Pallaton races into 2025 Golden Slipper contention
Pallaton has stamped himself as a two-year-old colt to watch heading into 2025 with an impressive debut win at Randwick. Trained by Michael Freedman and ridden by Tommy Berry, Pallaton raced to a 2-3/4-length victory in Saturday’s Shinzo @ Coolmore Plate (1000m) and firmed to be among the early favourites in Golden Slipper...
Arriving Home set to target the Magic Millions Guineas 2025
Trainer Bjorn Baker would love to get lightly raced filly Arriving Home into the Magic Millions Guineas next month after the three-year-old remained unbeaten with a tough win at Randwick. Stepping up from a midweek city maiden win at Warwick Farm on debut earlier this month into Saturday’s Petaluma Handicap (1300m) – a...
Here To Shock gives Lindsay Park quinella in The Supernova
Ben, Will & Jd Hayes had the numbers two and three seed to knock off race-favourite Nadal in Saturday’s $1 million The Supernova (1400m) at Pakenham and did just that, with Here To Shock, ridden by Daniel Stackhouse, edging stablemate Arkansaw Kid in a thrilling stable quinella. Here To Shock ($4.60) trailed a strong...
The Kings horse Gilded Water wins at Randwick
Imported stayer Gilded Water has made it back-to-back victories in Australia and has given his owner, His Majesty King Charles III, a winner at Royal Randwick. The King’s racing manager John Warren was on track at Randwick on Saturday as the Ciaron Maher-trained Gilded Water raced to a convincing victory in the...
Goldman digs deep in the Pakenham Cup 2024
One time Melbourne Cup favourite, Goldman has notched up his fourth win in Australia, leading throughout to take the Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m) under Beau Mertens. Jumping an $8.50 chance, Goldman’s staying prowess was on show as he kicked back to deny Grand Pierro ($19) by a long head, with $3.30 betting site...
Kevin Daffy happy to wait with Oh Too Good ahead of VOBIS Gold Bullion
Trainer Kevin Daffy says there is still plenty of time to chase the big league with his lightly-raced mare Oh Too Good. A winner of four of her seven starts with three runner-up finishes as well, Oh Too Hard runs in the VOBIS Gold Bullion (1400m) at Pakenham on Saturday. Daffy was sounded...
Bedggood chases rich The Supernova prize
Two rising nine-year-olds, both resuming, will give Gavin Bedggood a potential shot at his biggest payday as a trainer. A former jockey, Bedggood has been plying his trade as a trainer since 2017 and during the recent Melbourne Spring Carnival prepared Mornington Glory to land his first Group 1 success. Just Folk and Windstorm, both...
Collett hoping for Dream Brisbane raid in BJ McLachlan Stakes and Magic Millions Falvelon
A pair of promising two-year-olds from the Ciaron Maher stable have lured top Sydney hoop Jason Collett to Queensland for back-to-back meetings this weekend. Collett is heading north to partner filly Life After Love in the $250,000 Magic Millions The Debut (1000m) at the Gold Coast on Friday night and her Maher-trained stablemate...
Theodore aims to keep strike-rate going in Christmas Cup at Murray Bridge
Trainer Stephen Theodore is looking to Divine Fire keeping his impressive strike-rate going when she shoots for a winning hat-trick on Saturday. After victories at Morphettville and Gawler, Divine Fire runs in the Christmas Cup (1600m) at Murray Bridge with Jacob Opperman in the saddle. Since returning to training ranks at the start of...