It only took one race for John O’Shea’s fortunes to take a turn for the better and the trainer was in celebration mode after Promise Of Success swooped down the outside to claim the $2 million The Invitation.
O’Shea has ridden out a rough couple of weeks with Benaud unable to accept for the Metropolitan when he was mistakenly treated in the week before the race, while Lost And Running was a race morning scratching from The Everest due to lameness.
The trainer thought the curse had struck again on Saturday when Domingo fell in the opening race at Kembla Grange before Promise Of Success changed his afternoon.
“Our first runner today fell and I thought, here we go, things are going well,” O’Shea said.
“But that’s the nature of the game. Last week we just copped it and moved on and there’s another day.”
After finishing out of the placings first up on a heavy track in The Nivison, Promise Of Success started at $26 but appreciating a better surface at Randwick, she showed her true wares, steaming home down the centre of the track to beat Electric Girl ($18) by a long head.
Nimalee ($6) ran her usual honest race for third, another three-quarters of a length further back.
O’Shea said his mare’s win in the 1400m feature was no surprise and she could now head to Flemington for a race during the Melbourne Cup carnival.
“She has always been a talent,” O’Shea said.
“It was a great quality of race, some really talented Group 1 mares there so she has put her hand up and announced herself as one of the best mares around.
“When she gets to Randwick on good ground from a wide draw, that is tailor made for her.”
Last year’s Invitation winner Icebath and Espiona started $5 equal favourites but both disappointed, Icebath throwing her chances out the window when she missed the start before making late ground for ninth, while Espiona beat just one rival home.
