One improbable win followed by a more orchestrated victory added up to a successful afternoon for Paul Perry at Rosehill on Saturday.
The Newcastle trainer celebrated a race-to-race double when Wouldnt It Be Nice enjoyed a trouble-free passage to claim the AMWU-National Handicap (1200m).
Wouldn't It Be Nice winning at Rosehill - Photo by Steve Hart
Hidden Warrior then put the icing on the cake with a fast-finishing victory in the Spring Flying (1100m).
On the corresponding day last year, Hidden Warrior contested the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington and Perry’s son and foreman, Shannon, said they were tempted to give the gelding another Melbourne campaign this spring.
“We tried to get him down there, but the owners and dad thought different and they were right,” Perry said.
“His main aim most probably is something on Magic Millions day. We will reassess him now and he might come back to Rosehill before then.”
Hidden Warrior made his run down the outside and rounded up his rivals to score by a short neck from Black Magic with Unanimously another 1-3/4 lengths away third.
While Hidden Warrior was fancied at $4.80, Wouldnt It Be Nice started at $61 despite strong winter formlines behind Group performers Eurozone and Bull Point.
The colt had not raced since he was disqualified from third place at Rosehill in July after Glyn Schofield inexplicably weighed in light.
But luck was on his side on Saturday.
As several runners were impeded by the wayward Blackboard Special, Wouldnt It Be Nice drove through unimpeded along the inside to score by a long head.
“It’s poetic justice for him to win,” Shannon Perry said.
“He was lucky to win with horses running all over the place but it was still a good, tough win with 59 (kilos). He is a horse going somewhere.”
Apprentice Matthew McGuren was suspended for five meetings for causing interference aboard Blackboard Special in what chief steward Ray Murrihy labelled “a very nasty incident”.
