“It helps hitting a boundary with your first shot … a four, not quite a six, but we are in a good place. It is such a big day in Australian sport.”
That was Chris Waller’s accurate, initial reaction after his stable kicked off The Everest race-day with a winner in the first race on the card, with Panova saluting in the Group 3 Reginald Allen.
“I loved the work by Tommy (Berry). He didn’t panic from a wide draw. It just shows the track is perfect. You can win from anywhere,” said Waller.
Panova, a three-year-old Trapeze Artist, had five trials (two for Ciaron Maher and then a further three trials after transferring to Waller) before seeing race action.
A runner-up finish on debut in July followed by a fourth place finish in her second career start in September … and Panova was ready to strike.
“He was very unlucky not to run a place at Warwick Farm (over 1200m) and I said I can’t wait to get over 1400m. We found that today in a Stakes race,” said Tommy Berry, who guided Panova to her first success.
“It looked a bit ugly from the barrier, but I saw a bit of speed everywhere in the race, so I was hoping that would generate a bit of pressure early and we’d be able to sprint off the back of it. Getting to Randwick today, on a big track, was key.
“I was a couple of lengths off the back of them early so, when they jostled up in front of me and everybody was on heels, I was still just floating out the back.
“I was able to get on that three-wide line. I was probably the horse that had an uninterrupted run and that proved to be too good late.”