The signs were ominous before Sydney visitor Alvitas asserted his superiority for an easy win in the rich $100,000 Brisbane Town Maiden Plate at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Standing out like a beacon was Sydney trainer Gerald Ryan’s presence on track and then there was the solid stream of support in the betting ring which ensured the striking colt went to the post as the $3.50 favourite.
Alvitas played his part and scored an easy four-length win to add to Ryan’s winter carnival haul which includes the Sires’ Produce Stakes with Hot Snitzel and the Eye Liner Stakes with Adnocon.
“This was the first time he’d seen a dry track and I wanted to see him on a big track like Eagle Farm,” Ryan said.
“He’s by Snitzel out of a Peintre Celebre mare and he’s probably thrown more to the dam’s side than the sire, he’ll get 2000 metres later on and he’s a horse going places.
“We’ll take him back to Sydney now for a 1500-metre race at Rosehill in three weeks and then put him away and look after him – he’s a very nice horse.”
Paul Hammersley rode with supreme confidence and allowed Alvitas to settle worse than midfield in the 1400m feature and he raced away in the straight to set a race record of 1:22:83, lowering the previous mark of 1:22:95 set by Milanesa last year.
Eagle Farm trainer Peter Hulbert was left to lament what might have been after his game filly Zamboni ($13) recorded her seventh second from 14 starts while Gold Coast entire Signpost ($4.80) finished a half-length back third.
AAP TURF
