A hit-and-run mission to the Sydney carnival has paid handsome dividends for New Zealand three-year-old Beauty’s Beast at Randwick.
The winner of four races at home, Beauty’s Beast’s $90,000 first prize for winning Saturday’s Listed South Pacific Classic (1400m) is almost three times more than his previous earnings.
Trainer David Greene admitted he had some concerns about the slow track but the big gelding handled it with ease.
Sent out at an $8.50 chance, Beauty’s Beast was taken straight to the front by Hugh Bowman and was never headed, drawing away to beat Woodbine ($4.40) by two lengths with the same margin to Engagement ($6.50).
“I had no doubt he was good enough but I did have a question mark about the track,” Greene said.
“I walked it and it was softer than expected.
“He’s up in the weights in New Zealand. He had to carry 59-1/2 kilos in a three-year-old race last time which he won.
“He’s booked to go home on Tuesday but that might change.”
Beauty’s Beast is owned by New Zealand’s famous Windsor Park Stud and is by their stallion Guillotine.
Bowman said he was always in control of the race.
“The owners didn’t tie me down (to instructions),” he said.
“But we didn’t make a picnic of it. He’s a free-running horse and he was the strongest on the line.”
Beauty’s Beast is the second horse Greene has brought to Australia with the first, High Kin, a close second to Anagold in last year’s Ipswich Cup.
