Promising apprentice Reece Jones has orchestrated a pre-race plan to perfection, rating Troach beautifully in front to guide the Godolphin filly to a strong Rosehill win.
Carrying just 52.5kg after Jones’ claim, Troach ($11) was ridden positively out of the gates and dictated from the front, extending her advantage on straightening to cruise to a 1-1/2 length win in the Precise Air Handicap (1100m).
Opal Ridge ($6.50) finished stylishly for second with Waverider Buoy ($6 equal fav) another three-quarters of a length away.
Trainer James Cummings said they were keen to see Troach settle on the speed to make the most of her light weight and Jones was able to execute his instructions with precision.
“She did a good job and Reece had done his homework,” Cummings said.
“By the time he came up to talk to me, he had summed up the tactics pretty well.
“We just advised him to be decisive on the filly. She had been powering through some trackwork between runs and we thought the run first-up had some hidden merit.”
A Kensington winner in February, Troach ran respectably against subsequent Golden Slipper winner Fireburn in the Sweet Embrace Stakes and wasn’t beaten far when a first-up fifth to Midnight In Tokyo on a heavy track earlier this month.
On an improving surface on Saturday, she was able to show her wares and Cummings will now give her an opportunity in better grade.
“We have always liked her. She was pretty precocious and in her second racing preparation she is looking like an improved horse,” Cummings said.
“Whether we run her against the boys again perhaps in The Rosebud or the fillies in the Silver Shadow (Stakes), we will have a think about that.
“But she’s flying, she’s got a big action and a really lovely turn of foot and she is the type of filly we think can get to black-type.”