Machine Gun Gracie, winner of the WA Oaks–WA Derby double last season, burst back to top form with an impressive effort in the Group 3 $250,000 Epona Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
A new stable recruit for the Lindsay Park training partnership of brothers JD, Ben and Will Hayes, Machine Gun Gracie won her first race since Perth classic double nearly 12 months ago – and with the promise of more big race wins to come.
“She’s got plenty of X-Factor,” Jd Hayes said.
“She’s a lovely big horse when you see her, every bit of 17 hands.
“We’ll have a good chat and debrief with the team and the connections here, have a few cold ones and enjoy today. Then work out where we’re going, because I think a mare of her calibre, we will have plenty of options.”
Machine Gun Gracie was sent out a $17 chance but left her rivals with no excuses as she drew clear to win the Epona Stakes by two lengths from Polymnia ($5.50) with Placid Pearl ($101) a close third.
Godolphin mare Pinito was sent out the $2.60 favourite but after going wide on the turn, failed to run on and finished a disappointing ninth.Machine Gun Gracie was having only her second start for Team Hayes after being trained in Perth by Justine Erkelens.
Erkelens has retained a share in the ownership of the mare and was on track for Machine Gun Gracie’s runaway Epona Stakes win.
“They saw our facilities (Lindsay Park) and thought it would really suit ‘Gracie’, so we’re just very lucky in that regard that she got sent our way,” Hayes said,”She’s gone from strength to strength and she’s got plenty of upside. We’ve always had a high opinion of her and it’s good to see her convert here today.”
Jockey Luke Currie gave Machine Gun Gracie the run of the race and the mare put the race away with a powerful finishing surge.
“In Perth she raced on speed and was really strong but last time she was a bit sticky out first-up and I just rode her quietly from there,” Currie said.
“But she had the barrier extension on today because she’s so big she doesn’t fit in the gates so well. She gets very uncomfortable and I thought that’s what happened last time.
“She still didn’t begin the fastest, so I had to just give her a little nudge, but she got there and switched straight off and pricked her ears. She always travelled nice and kind, off a nice tempo, and was always going to be hard to beat.”
