Adroitly is doing his best to lead a mini revival of staying talent in the ranks of breeding and racing giant Darley Australia after landing the most important win of his career at Randwick on Sunday.
Revelling in deteriorating track conditions, four-year-old Adroitly outstayed nine rivals to the win the $100,000 Listed W J McKell Cup (2400m).
In keeping with a general trend in the Australian racing landscape, homebred stayers sporting the Darley silks have been hard to come by in recent seasons.
A dour stayer like Adroitly could well have found himself on the outer long before Sunday’s win but stable foreman Brad Widdup says trainer Peter Snowden is starting to leave room for the off-season distance horse.
“We kept a few horses back and they are starting to win which is good,” Widdup said.
“There’s (recent Warwick Farm winner) Tunes, this bloke and Yulalona is coming back. They are handy horses to have around this time of the year over these sorts of distances.”
Adroitly is by 1996 Australian Horse Of The Year Octagonal, a 10-time Group One winner who remains in limited service as a Darley stallion.
While it is unlikely he is ever going to emulate his sire as a Group One winner, Widdup believes there is enough talent in Adroitly to secure more black type success.
“Peter might send him up to Brisbane for the Brisbane Cup or there is a two-mile race here coming up (in Sydney),” Whiddup said.
“It all depends on what the weather does. If it is raining in Brisbane that could help him because he loves the wet.”
The McKell Cup was run on a slow track after rain fell throughout the Randwick meeting and the affected going brought out the best in Adroitly, specked in betting from $13 to $12.
Kerrin McEvoy settled Adroitly at the back of the field but he had no hesitation in making a long run on the stayer after the leaders went hard through the early and middle stages.
“The speed was genuine all the way through and that really helped him. He likes to be out and running,” McEvoy said.
As Reuben Percival ($5.50) set up a three-length lead heading into the straight, Adroitly continued to make ground out wide.
He joined the leader at the 200 metres before gaining the upper hand and it was left to Legsman ($11) to finish off for a three-quarter length second with Reuben Percival holding down third, 1-1/4 lengths further away.
Guy Walter didn’t have a Cup runner but he took training honours at the meeting with a race-to-race double.
Putting the disappointment of Toydini’s defeat in the opening race behind him, Walter bounced back with wins to Dancing Attendance and Ecumbene.
Having her first start since finishing down the course in the Group Three Epona Stakes at the end of March, Dancing Attendance, backed into $3.60 favouritism, produced a trademark finish to win the Chargrill Charlie’s Handicap (1600m).
Ecumbene ($5) was ridden in contrasting style after he wouldn’t settle in the Scream Handicap (1400m) before underlining his promise with a clear-cut win.
