Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Wonderful To Fly became only the third mare in the 46-year history of the Nova 93.7 Four-Year-Old Classic to win the Group 2 $125,000 feature event when she sprinted home with a dazzling burst to snatch a thrilling last-stride victory over the pacemaker Hoppys Way at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
And now part-owner and trainer-reinsman Shane Young is setting his sights on the $200,000 Golden Nugget next Friday week when he is confident Wonderful To Fly has the ability to again prove the master of the State’s best four-year-old stallions and geldings and the Sydney invader My Ultimate Ronnie.
“She showed with her sprint what she is capable of in big races,” said a jubilant Young.
Wonderful To Fly was a $23.70 chance from the No. 2 barrier on the back line in Friday night’s 2130m event, with My Ultimate Ronnie, a brilliant winner at his three previous starts at Menangle, the $1.20 hot favourite from barrier three.
The polemarker Hoppys Way, the $10 second fancy, began speedily to hold out My Ultimate Ronnie, and after a solid 35.8sec. lead time, Shannon Suvaljko was able to get Hoppys Way to relax with opening quarters of 31sec. and 30.5sec. before dashing home with sections of 28sec. and 28.7sec.
Wonderful To Fly raced in sixth position, three back on the pegs, before Young was able to manoeuvre the mare into the clear just before the home turn.
“Before that, Whos The Dad was hanging in there (in the one-out, one-back position) and I had to wait to make sure I could get out without getting myself jammed up (on the inside),” said Young.
“Once I got clear, she did the rest. When I got clear the leader had nicked off. But I was always confident that Wonderful To Fly would sprint strongly. A lot of the runners were flat out, while she was travelling very well.
“I was in the moving line early and when we moved into the back straight the first time I decided to ease to the pegs and this probably was the winning move.”
Hoppys Way was gallant in defeat, and the Kevin Keys-trained Alcopony ($41) impressed when Emily Suvaljko brought him home with a powerful burst from seventh at the bell to finish third, a head in front of $23 chance Star Casino, who had trailed the pacemaker throughout.
My Ultimate Ronnie was still second on the home turn before he wilted finish ninth. Youre So Fine ($20) did well to finish solidly along the inside to be seventh. He started from the outside of the back line, dashed forward, three wide, in the early stages to be fourth before being restrained back to last.
Wonderful To Fly, bred by Kevin and Annette Charles, is raced by Young and several stable clients. She has amassed $698,870 in prizemoney from 30 wins and 13 placings from 50 starts.
“After the Golden Nugget Wonderful To Fly will have a few weeks off before being prepared for the Golden Girls Mile (at Pinjarra on March 18) and the Empress Stakes (at Gloucester Park on April 19),” said Young.
Trainer Jarrod Alchin and reinsman Will Rixon were mystified at My Ultimate Ronnie’s failure and at a loss to explain why the horse faded so badly.
Rixon, who landed his 500TH career winner on Thursday when $16 chance Gotta Bling It was successful at Penrith, scored a notable treble at Menangle on Saturday night, winning with rank outsider Western Style ($56.70), Im Presi Belle ($3.50) and Dance And Deliver ($13.90), with the final two of those winners being trained by his father Peter.