You have to be good to run time at Royal Randwick and under 59kg that’s just what WILD RULER (Snitzel – Gypsy Robin) did in the Listed Fireball Stakes (3YO) over 1100m.
After Mamaragan went out at suicidal speed from the get go, being 5 lengths clear of the field coming to the home bend, Wild Ruler, who was 2nd all the way, moved up to him over the rise.
And then when jockey James McDonald pushed the button even he was surprised at how quickly the colt accelerated.
“He is really strong now and has developed a terrific turn of foot,” said McDonald.
“They went really hard but he just accelerated so well. Exciting horse.”
Wild Ruler stopped the clock a tick over 62sec flat. The track record is a tick under at 61:66sec.
The early speed by Mamaragan told on him and he wilted to last place of the six runners, but that sort of ‘blow the cobwebs away’ run first-up will benefit him greatly.
It was left to ON THE LEAD (I Am Invincible – Marechal) to chase Wild Ruler down but he couldn’t and was 2nd across the line a few lengths away. His effort was strong.
Last start’s impressive restricted grade winner ANDERMATT (Snitzel – Portillo) was a head back in 3rd and given the huge rise in grade for him, and weight, it was a courageous effort.
But all honours, every one of them, belong to the Team Snowden trained colt.
He was dominant and looks toward Gr 1 glory next.
“Spring was a little too soon for him last campaign, yet he still performed so well,” said co-trainer Paul Snowden.
“He was winning races when he wasn’t mature enough. Well, he is now.
“We knew we had a good one. And today, we anticipated something would go hard to a degree like that. It strung the horses out, but James was brilliant.
“He handled him superbly and you saw the result, he was very dominant late.
“We shall head to The Galaxy while 2nd up and that was always our intention because he can handle all ground – wet to fast.”
Today he stormed home his last 600m in a swift 33:55sec and he will have no weight on his back in the Gr 1 The Galaxy over this same journey on Golden Slipper day, 20 March.
That race is worth $700,000.
