Suncraze shines at Randwick for an elated Melanie O’gorman

Suncraze broke through for a deserved win in town on Saturday. PIC Bradley Photos.

SUNCRAZE finally shed his bridesmaid’s tag when saluting in the Highway Handicap over 1400m at Randwick on Saturday.

Trained at Tamworth by Melanie O’gorman, Suncraze won on debut at Dubbo in August last year and since then had run six consecutive seconds, including four this preparation, two of which had been in Highway Handicaps in town.

Last start at Warwick Farm the three-year-old gelding had been sent out as the odds on favourite, failing narrowly behind Nic’s Vendetta over 1200m.

However, blinkers on and a rise in trip to seven furlongs worked a treat on Saturday, with Suncraze scoring a dominant three length victory over Last Try Wins under the guidance of Corey Brown.

O’gorman was ecstatic to finally land a win in town, her first as a trainer, conceding she had been starting to doubt whether the day would ever come.

“It’s nice to finally get that win out of the way and to think that we aren’t a class one horse anymore,” O’gorman told Horse Betting.

“I was starting to wonder if I’d ever win one with him – I was thinking I’d probably run out of horse before I could pinch one so it is a big relief to see him get the job done today.”

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O’gorman, who only has half a dozen horses in work, said she never doubted the rise in trip for the son of Henrythenavigator and Sunstyle.

“I’ve always said since I’ve had the horse as a yearling that he’d run a mile – although I still think he’ll run 2000m – but in the past I had to take it slow with him and for various reasons I had to tip him out,” she said.

“Today was the first time I had got him to the 1400m and felt I had a horse to work with so part of me was really confident, but after six seconds in a row I’d be lying if I said I didn’t question myself as well.

“I was delighted to see him get across the line in first spot. It was my first win in town too so it just gives you that bit of confidence that you are doing the right thing with the horse.”

Suncraze has now won two of his eight starts with six minor placings, his prize money now in excess of $90,000.

O’gorman said there is still plenty of improvement left in Suncraze, which is still learning what racing is all about.

With a second win under his belt, Suncraze will now have a short break before being aimed at the lucrative $200,000 Highway Handicap over 1400m which is set to be run and won on the same day as the $10 million Everest on October 14.

“If I give him a break now I think I’ll have a horse right on target for that day which will be quite exciting,” she said.

“It’s a $200,000 race which is an excellent initiative for country horses and it would just be a big thrill for me to have a runner on that day, especially a horse which I think can be competitive.”

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