Bryce Heys started the day at Rosehill, but he wasn’t there to welcome back his 100th winner when Flying For Fun posted her first Group race success in the Maurice McCarten Stakes.
Heys saddled up fourth placed Mailata in the opening race in Sydney, before heading up the freeway bound for the provincial meeting at Gosford where he had Banjora contesting the final event.
“He was here and then we tagged in and out,” Heys’ stable representative, Tammy Blair, said.
“He’s gone to Gosford to saddle up Banjora. So he’s there, and I’m here.”
First-up since taking out the Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill in November, Flying For Fun ($5) overpowered a courageous Mal Coupe ($9) by a long neck with King’s Secret ($4 fav) another 1-1/4 lengths away third.
Blair said the fact Heys had trained both Flying For Fun’s sire, Spieth, and her dam, Vol Prive, added another level of satisfaction to every win.
“We’re very happy. We had mum and dad, so this makes it that little bit special,” she said.
Riding the four-year-old for the sixth time in her 12 starts, Zac Lloyd praised her effort to put away a handy field and said Flying For Fun had improved noticeably since her most recent preparation.
“She’s come back super,” Lloyd said.
“Much more mature and stronger. For her to do that first-up, that was a pretty strong Maurice McCarten Stakes, and she’s done it really nice.”
Connections haven’t set a plan in stone for the autumn, but Lloyd says Flying To Fun is relaxing so well, it has expanded her options.
“I’m sure Bryce will find a good option for her, but she’s so tractable now,” he said.
“She can come from right up on the speed, or just off the speed. It definitely opens a lot of doors.”
