Royal Symphony has made a one-act affair of a late-season juvenile race at Flemington in a performance that has his trainer and jockey excited about the future.
The two-year-old backed up his strong Pakenham debut win in May with an explosive 3-3/4-length victory in Saturday’s Gippsland Region Handicap (1400m) after coming from last on the home turn.
The $2.05 favourite was ridden by Dwayne Dunn, whose wife, Amanda, is in the ownership, and the multiple Group One-winning jockey labelled the colt a serious racehorse.
Trainer Tony McEvoy, who trains this season’s Australian Guineas winning-three-year-old Hey Doc, said Royal Symphony “could go all the way”.
“That was explosive,” he said.
Royal Symphony’s ability to accelerate from the back of the field and put his rivals away quickly in the straight “was something special”.
“That’s what a lot of horses lack. The race was over in 100 metres so that’s exciting,” McEvoy said.
“He could go all the way. I would go as far as to say Hey Doc couldn’t do that at that stage of his career and he went on to win the Guineas.”
Royal Symphony settled back under Dunn and was in the clear on the outside turning into the home straight.
He hit the front by the 200m, with Whoomph ($71) also closing from the back to run second while Sully ($16) was another 2-1/2 lengths away third.
“He was pretty impressive,” Dunn said.
“He’s got that habit where he gets back in the field and he switches off but he’s got that acceleration that just puts them away.”
McEvoy said Royal Symphony would likely contest the Listed Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) at Flemington in two weeks.
Royal Symphony shortened into favourite for the 2017 Caulfield Guineas with Sportsbet.com.au following his win.
