All Too Royal has made the progression to stakes grade with an impressive fresh win in the Christmas Stakes at Caulfield.
Having his second start at Listed level, All Too Royal was too strong for his nine rivals in Thursday’s race over 1200m.
Ridden by in-form jockey Jye McNeil, All Too Royal ($4.60) raced to a three-quarter length win from Mystyko ($7.50) with Crystal Dreamer ($9.50) a half-length away third.
All Too Royal spent the late part of 2018 and the majority of 2019 in the Sydney stable of his trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.
Maher and Eustace decided to switch All Too Royal to Melbourne and the gelding was prepared for Thursday’s assault from Cranbourne enabling the stable the use of Balnarring beach.
With Maher in England to watch Big Blue run in a hurdle race at Kempton and Eustace attending the cricket at the MCG between Australia and New Zealand, stable representative Will Bourne said they had been confident of a first-up showing.
“His first-up form is good and I was speaking to David before the race and he was very confident,” Bourne said.
“He’s been going very well at the beach and he goes so well fresh, especially at this distance, so we might try and find another race and keep him at it.”
For McNeil, the stakes race success followed a treble at Flemington last Saturday and made up for three placings earlier on Thursday’s program.
“I don’t know a lot about him, I think today was my first time on him,” McNeil said.
“But he travelled really easily and comfortably into the straight and gave me plenty when I asked for another effort.
“I know he has a very good fresh record and hopefully he can go on with it throughout the preparation.”
