Rachel King has made a clean sweep of the feature races at Wyong with her Cup victory aboard the Richard and Michael Freedman-trained Paths Of Glory the icing on the cake.
In a busy finish, Paths Of Glory’s ($13) stamina kicked in and he outstayed The Lord Mayor ($6) by a long neck, denying Chris Waller an eighth win in the 2100 metre provincial race.
Hush Writer ($5) was the same margin away third while favourite Savacool had little luck, finishing fourth.
Richard Freedman praised King’s patience and admitted he had expected the European import to position closer in the run.
“Rachel’s ride was sensational,” Freedman told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
“I said to Rachel before the race, ‘look he’s first up for a while over 2100, you’re going to have to give him a rest somewhere’.
“She might have taken that a bit literally, he was resting away at the back there where he’s never raced.”
Freedman need not have worried as King weaved a path through the field and burst through a late opening to score.
Paths Of Glory has now won six of his 13 starts, two of them in Australia, and will have his next run in the Newcastle Cup in two weeks.
“He is a genuine, genuine stayer. The longer they get, the better he will go,” Freedman said.
King was also at her patient best aboard Godolphin mare Asiago, who produced a sweeping run from midfield to win the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m).
Having her first start since unplaced in the Australasian Oaks in May, Asiago gave trainer James Cummings his second win in the Wyong feature after Savatiano two years ago.
“She had a nice prep last time and we gave her a nice break after a trip to Adelaide,” Godolphin representative Nacim Dilmi said.
“She’s in for a nice spring.”
Asiago ($21) scored by a length over Wandabaa ($4.80) with Missybeel ($41) a further half-length away.
