Caloundra trainer David Vandyke produced another possible top three-year-old when Roman Republic scored at Doomben.
Vandyke was still on a high after his star Alligator Blood won the Australian Guineas last Saturday but he couldn’t hide his excitement about Roman Republic.
Jockey Ryan Maloney maintained his 40 per cent winning strike rate for Vandyke when Roman Republic ($2.70) won a maiden at his first start.
Vandyke said before the race he had been worried Roman Republic might find race day too much.
“This horse has been very, very immature but he seemed to enjoy himself today,” Vandyke said.
Trainer Chris Munce believes his apprentice Justin Huxtable is the best kept secret in Queensland racing.
Huxtable got plenty of credit when he steered Munce’s filly Buckets Of Pride ($8) to a nose win in a deceptive finish to a maiden over 1350m.
A multiple Group One winning jockey Munce, who now trains at Eagle Farm, is a big fan of Huxtable.
“He gets good support from my owners but he sometimes struggles to get rides. I think he deserves far more rides than he gets,” Munce said.
“That was a perfect ride on Buckets of Pride.”
Huxtable, who can still claim 2kg in city racing, has been riding in Queensland after joining Munce from South Australia in September.
Well bred filly Beachbreak ($1.50) added to her stud value when she won a maiden.
A $450,000 Magic Millions yearling, Beachbreak is by champion sire Sebring out of Oakleigh Girl who ran second to Unencumbered in the 2014 Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
