The disappointment of watching Peace Force run second in the Darley Crown quickly turned to elation when trainer Gerald Ryan realised it was stablemate Solicit who had grabbed the spoils.
Owner David Moodie sent Solicit to Ryan hoping a change in environment could help the Group One placegetter regain the form she had lost in Melbourne.
In her first start for Ryan she was an abject failure but careful management and 12 days at the trainer’s new Hawkesbury satellite stable helped turn Solicit around.
“I was watching Peace Force and it wasn’t until they were three strides past the post that I realised it was Solicit who had beaten her,” Ryan said.
“It’s great to win a race for David and especially with this mare.
“She will go to stud at the end of the season but hopefully Peace Force races on.
“I have trained a lot of winners for David but this is very satisfying.
“Solicit has been at Hawkesbury for the past 12 days so she is our first winner from the new stable.”
By virtue of her Group One form, Solicit ($11) carried top weight of 59kg in the Group Three 1300m race, one of two rescheduled from last week’s washed out Hawkesbury meeting.
Peace Force ($6.50) came out of the pack to claim the leader Calming Influence ($9) before Solicit shot through in the final few metres.
The winner had a long head over her stablemate with Calming Influence another length third and $3.20 favourite Peron fourth.
Solicit’s jockey Tim Clark said he thought the race was a lost cause midway through.
“I’d all but given up on her but she just kept whacking away and then I could feel her starting to build up inside the furlong (200m),” he said.
“Fortunately enough she was able to split and dart through late.”
Ryan will consider backing both mares up at next year’s Scone feature meeting but may keep them for races in Brisbane in two weeks.