Tough Rosehill win sets Steel Will on path to spring features
Steel Will secured a hard-fought victory at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, overcoming a tight winning margin and a less-than-spectacular finish that had punters on edge.
The colt displayed admirable tenacity under pressure, finding his best stride at the finish to win the Kia Ora Bloodlines to Headlines Handicap over 1300 metres.
Trainer Chris Waller, a Hall of Fame inductee, spoke post-race about his ambitious plans for Steel Will during the upcoming spring carnival.
"Steel Will is a nice, progressive horse," Waller remarked. "He is well bred and it is always good to have horses with (owner) Sir Owen Glenn and he has a good one here."
Sent out the $1.65 favourite, Steel Will, under the guidance of champion jockey James McDonald, defeated Savvy Diamond ($13) by a neck, with Plagiarism ($5.50) a further three-quarters of a length away in third.
The trainer admitted that starting Steel Will in a Sydney Saturday class race, following a maiden win at Wyong less than two weeks prior, was not ideal.
"He was on a quick back-up and the rain has just come so this was a stepping stone for the colt," Waller explained. "It's good to get some prizemoney in the back as it will make it easier to get him into the better races."
Steel Will is a three-year-old colt, a son of I Am Invincible and out of Pittsburgh Flyer, who also produced the talented mare September Run, a dual Group 1 winner for Waller in the Coolmore Stud Stakes and William Reid Stakes.
"I trained his sister September Run and she might have been the Champion Three-year-old of her year," Waller recalled. "Bearing in mind Steel Will is September Run's brother, we will probably keep him to shorter races.
"We will look at either the Run To The Rose here or go to Melbourne for the Poseidon Stakes at Flemington. If we are thinking of the Coolmore it would be good to give him some experience up the Flemington straight.
"Steel Will has got the breeding and he's got the looks so he has a lot going for him."
Punters keen to explore the racing betting markets would have experienced a tense conclusion before the favourite ultimately prevailed.
More Racing News
Ndola set to tackle The Meteorite at Cranbourne
The specific track conditions and journey are anticipated to favour Ndola as he lines up for The Meteorite.A quartet of trainers from Lindsay Park is backing a galloper in fine form to secure a lucrative million-dollar race at Cranbourne this coming Saturday.Next weekend, Melbourne's metropolitan racing will be held away...
Magnatear heads to Perth for Railway Stakes challenge
A significant Group 1 race on the opposite side of the country is now the focus for the consistent gelding Magnatear, whose connections have decided against contesting The Gong to instead target the Railway Stakes in Perth.Will Freedman, co-trainer of the horse, confirmed that the gelding would not be among...
General Salute powers to victory in Newcastle's The Hunter
General Salute concluded a stellar spring carnival for the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou stable with a nail-biting triumph in the Listed $1 million The Hunter (1300m) at Newcastle on Saturday.The richest race at Newcastle saw a gripping duel between General Salute and She's An Artist, with the victor conceding...
Bestower lands feature race win for Kris Lees at Newcastle
A mare not known for consistent victories, Bestower, produced a career-best performance when it mattered most, securing a valuable stakes win in The Beauford at her home track, Newcastle.This was only the fourth win in 35 starts for the mare, and her first since a midweek success last December. Trainer...
Kingswood claims rare Zipping Classic double
Trainer Gavin Bedggood is eyeing a Hong Kong campaign for Kingswood following his history-making Zipping Classic victory.Kingswood has created his own piece of staying race history, achieving a rare double that has not been accomplished for almost six decades. His triumph in the Zipping Classic brings him into line with...
Dabernig's first solo Group 1 achieved with Shadhavar in CF Orr Stakes
The victory of Shadhavar in the CF Orr Stakes undoubtedly provided Tom Dabernig with a unique sense of accomplishment, adding a distinct flavour to his 18 Group One career wins.The Sandown race, serving as the final Group One event of the Victorian Spring for the second consecutive year, saw Shadhavar...
Waller's smart dual-state strategy yields feature race success
Chris Waller's astute decision to campaign his promising three-year-olds, Consulate and Katoto, in separate states has yielded the desired outcome, with both horses emerging victorious in their respective feature races.The decision saw Katoto scratched from the Sandown Guineas (1600m), which Consulate went on to win, while Katoto herself secured a...
Ertijaaj claims emotional victory in Izzy Neale tribute race
The Chris Waller-trained Ertijaaj emerged victorious in a race honouring Izzy Neale, the 22-year-old apprentice jockey who tragically passed away on Tuesday after suffering fatal head injuries in a race fall.Charlie Duckworth, the articulate racing manager for champion trainer Chris Waller, found himself momentarily at a loss for words when...
Cuban Cigar claims deserved win in Legend Mile
Trainer Tracey Bartley has expressed his significant ambitions for Cuban Cigar, a horse that was duly rewarded for his recent consistent form with a victory in the Legend Mile over 1600 metres."He's a really nice horse, I want to back him up next Saturday in The Gong if he gets...
Natural Fling too good in Thoroughbred Club Stakes
Sometimes pushing a horse for another start is a risky strategy, but Tony Mcevoy's experience suggested it was the right call.Co-trainer Calvin Mcevoy confessed to some uncertainty regarding Natural Fling's ability to handle another race given her busy schedule, but the three-year-old filly ultimately delivered a commanding performance in the...