Raiment dominates Birthday Card Stakes on Golden Slipper Day
CRAIG Williams might have won the first in the protest room, but it was a much easier result in the Group 3 Birthday Card Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.
Williams scored the opening race with Big Duke after tipping out Our Century in the protest room, but his ride aboard Raiment gave the champion jockey an armchair ride.
The daughter of Street Cry sat outside the speed before kicking clear around the turn as Williams stayed centre track. It quickly put lengths on the field and returned great odds of $4.60 with Bet365.com for loyal punters.
“This filly was great,” Williams said. “They didn’t go as fast as what I hoped, she travelled through the ground well and was just getting a little bit tired late but she was nice and strong.
“Congratulations to the stable they prepared her very well again for a nice win.”
This was the first win in the Birthday Card Stakes for John O’Shea, who was confident heading into the race despite the betting drift on track.
“She has always had a propensity to get through it (wet track),” O’Shea said. “She has got wonderful form lines.
“She got in today with 53kg which is a big advantage. The only concern was first up. It seems to be a day where you’re advantaged having a little bit of race fitness under her belt.
“She got through the ground beautifully and had a lovely run outside the leader in a slowly run race.”
O’Shea will look to gain some more black type for the promising filly later this autumn and the wet tracks are clearly no concern going forward.
“She goes to the JB Carr and the PJ Bell now. Two great fillies races. Her propensity to get through wet ground is obviously going to help her,” O’Shea added.
Samantha closed as the strong favourite with bookmakers and it battled on well for second. Apprentice jockey Andrew Adkins was pleased with the run considering the interference it copped.
“Very good effort. Loves that wet going,” Adkins said.
“Just a bit of a slowly run race got her a bit unsettled and coming around the home turn she got a knock from the inside which unsettled her a touch but she chased home the winner quite well.”
The disappointment of the race came from Hieroglyphics and jockey Brenton Avdulla also indicated that it might pay to follow horses that are fresh up.
“On face value she was disappointing. I’ve always thought she as a fresh horse so whether that run the other day just took the edge off her,” Avdulla said.