Dystopia lowered the boom on favourite Tiger Tees and in the process broke an 11-year-old track record at Warwick Farm on Saturday.
The talented five-year-old mare’s 2-1/2-length victory over the $1.65 favourite Tiger Tees in the Schweppes Handicap (1300m) brought up a race-to-race double for trainer Chris Waller and owners Bob Ingham and family after Republic Lad scored in the Australian Turf Club Handicap (2200m).
Dystopia’s winning time of 1:15.26 bettered the previous record of 1:15.34 set by Impregnable in November 2000.
With the free-running O’Crikey setting a cracking tempo in front, jockey Christian Reith elected to take a sit on Tiger Tees with Dystopia ($3.60) settling on the heels of the favourite.
As O’Crikey held a five-length advantage mid-race, Hugh Bowman started bridging that gap on Dystopia and by the time they turned for home the mare was full of running and hitting the front.
Tiger Tees, who had won six of his previous eight starts, couldn’t go with the daughter of Redoute’s Choice over the final 300m while Youthful Jack ($18) finished strongly to be another short neck further back third.
Waller said Dystopia, a full-sister to 2005 Golden Slipper winner Stratum, now deserved a chance to break through for a stakes win during the autumn carnival.
“She’s a pretty handy horse,” Waller said.
“Her run for fourth behind Ortensia in Melbourne up the straight (during the spring) was terrific and a couple of runs here since have been good including one race she lost on protest.
“She deserves another crack at a Listed race now.”
Sydney’s premier trainer added that it was “humbling” to be training horses in the famous cerise colours of the Ingham family.
“And the days you get winning doubles you certainly go home appreciative of it,” he said.
Tiger Tees’ trainer Joe Pride didn’t hide his disappointment but said all was not lost with the autumn carnival on the horizon.
“I don’t know what to make of it. You couldn’t say it was the trip that worried him because he wasn’t weak to the line, he just wasn’t fast to the line,” Pride said.
“He didn’t pick up and accelerate like I thought he would. It’s disappointing, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t but all is not lost. The worst he’s ever finished is second and that’s where he’s finished today.”
Pride will give Tiger Tees three weeks off and said it would be easier to place him in the autumn when he would carry less weight.
AAP TURF
