Victorian trainer Robbie Laing came to Randwick believing there was only one danger to Boomwaa in the Inglis Classic.
Unfortunately for him he was proved right when Peggy Jean, trained by his old boss Gerald Ryan, wore down her more experienced rival to win the $250,000 race.
Peggy Jean - Photo by Steve Hart
Punters believed the Classic (1200m) would be a trans-Tasman battle between Boomwaa and Vinnie Eagle but the New Zealander wilted after showing early speed from the outside gate.
Group Three winner Boomwaa was sent out the $2.20 favourite ahead of Vinnie Eagle, also a Group Three winner, who was rated a $2.60 chance.
As the kiwi dropped off Boomwaa rounding the turn, Kerrin McEvoy stoked Peggy Jean ($10) up to give chase and, with Ryan almost jumping the fence, she claimed the favourite by a short neck on the line.
“She is a lovely little filly,” Ryan said.
“Once she learns to settle properly she will be even better. She went to the race with just one trial and a race under her belt.
“Over more ground I think we will see the best of her.”
Peggy Jean, who is by Myboycharlie and named after Charlie Brown’s long-time girlfriend, is the third winner of the sales related race for Triple Crown Syndications who won with Miss Independent in 2008 and Cavalry Rose in 2012.
Ryan said the Group Two VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes and the $1 million ATC Sires’ were races he would look at for the filly.
That’s not quite what his former apprentice Laing wanted to hear with the same races in his mind for Boomwaa after next month’s Blue Diamond Stakes.
“I thought she was the main danger in the race although I was wary of Vinnie Eagle,” he said.
“In the mounting yard before the race my bloke was pretty worked up while that filly was really relaxed.
“I think we might take the blinkers off Boomwaa. He was fired up and I didn’t expect him to be so far in front.”
Debutant Unequivocal ($61) did best of the rest for third, three lengths behind Boomwaa while Vinnie Eagle weakened to finish 10th of the 13 runners.
