A dominant Rosehill win from Happy Galaxy on Saturday was enough for jockey Jay Ford to predict the colt can make an impact in stakes company.
But Ford says the three-year-old needs to continue improving his race craft if he’s to take that step.
Happy Galaxy benefited from Ford sending him to the lead in the J.B. (Barry) Maher Memorial Handicap (1200m) on Saturday.
He got his own way in front and sprinted strongly from the top of the straight to beat Taxmeifyoucan by four lengths with favourite Relaxed And Happy three quarters of a length away third.
“I wouldn’t put him out of place at stakes level but he is probably a little bit one dimensional and sometimes that’s going to count against him if he gets in a race with a bit of speed,” Ford said.
“He’s getting better every start and he showed today what he can do when everything goes to plan for him.”
There was drama surrounding the favourite Relaxed And Happy ($2.90) who was passed fit to start after rearing up in the barriers.
He got one leg over the front of the stalls and the other front leg into the adjacent barrier with jockey Brenton Avdulla flung out the back.
“I’ve seen enough to say he should have come out,” chief steward Ray Murrihy said when viewing the footage after the race.
Happy Galaxy, trained by John, Michael and Wayne Hawkes, came into the event on the back of a New Year’s Day win at the same track. He made it three wins from six starts.
“Throughout his career he’s got himself beaten at times by going too keenly but he was really good today once I was able to do my own thing out in front,” Ford said.
“What I liked was when coming into the straight he put two to three lengths on them and I hadn’t even moved on him. He had the race in his keeping a long way from home.”
