Redzel holds off Terravista to win Mumm Stakes
OAKS Day has seen its fair share of market movers and the punters were bang on the mark when Redzel won the Mumm Stakes at Flemington.
The market was dominated early by Hellbent and Terravista, but both horses drifted in the market due the market move on Redzel which paid $5.50 at WilliamHill.com.au.
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained sprinter was backing up after a poor Moir Stakes run, but punters warmed to it late and the four-year-old didn’t let them down.
From barrier 10, jockey Blake Shinn took his inititave and went to the outside of the Flemington straight as its opposition decided to run centre track, but Shinn had pinched a break on the field and that proved to be the winning of the race.
“Pretty confident coming into today that he was going to run really well,” Shinn said. “Obviously up against some stiff opposition, but he’s a quality galloper.
“I just rode my own race, flew the gates, got him into stride, I just wanted to be strong late. I knew I’d have Terravista and Hellbent coming at me, so I had to rate him pretty carefully through those mid stages so we could be strong to the line.
“Fortunately he settled well for me, worked with me and it was a great result.”
Shinn has had a great carnival to date to six winners spanning over Derby, Cup and Oaks Day.
“Another winner over this Cup carnival, it’s just tremendous. It’s been really good, obviously had some really good supporters, both from Sydney trainers and from Melbourne trainers, thankful for that,” Shinn said.
“Obviously gotta come out and deliver on the day. Got one ride left today which is the Oaks, which is really important to get get a Group one down here, so hoping to get a win on Yankee.”
Co-trainer Peter Snowden rates Redzel better on the speed and now believes the son of Snitzel can progress to bigger targets like the Lightning Stakes.
“He did a good job. His Moir (Stakes) run was good, he’s just a horse that likes to lead,” Snowden said. “Luckily we were good enough to just hold on, but they pay on that.
“Anything like that (Lightning Stakes) now, he’s proven at this level now, he’s beating some handy horses and racing well against them.
“He’s earned his ticket to take these sort of races on now.”
Terravista flashed home to finish a narrow second placing. The Joe Pride-trained gelding has come back in good order and it lost no admirers with Thursday’s run.
Race favourite Hellbent made good ground late and nabbed Tarco ($52 at Bet365) on the line which was a great effort by the gelding from Goolwa.