A weight turnaround on New Day Rising from a clash seven days earlier paved the way for Syreon to score at Warwick Farm on Saturday.
New Day Rising led throughout at the same track last week but Syreon’s jockey Hugh Bowman went into the Mack Trucks Mile Handicap (1600m) confident his mount would improve enough second-up to overturn the three-quarter lengths defeat.
With Syreon ($4) getting a 2.5kg weight turnaround, Bowman got it tactically perfect with his ride, making the favourite New Day Rising ($1.90) work to find the lead before stalking him throughout the race.
New Day Rising responded to Syreon’s challenge in the straight but the Chris Waller-trained seven-year-old pulled out enough in the run to the line to win by a half neck.
The pair cleared out from the rest of the field with Color Purple ($11) 4-3/4 lengths away third.
“I was pretty confident coming into today,” Bowman said.
“The other horse (New Day Rising) dictated last week and just outsprinted me because he is not a sit-and-sprint type.
“I was able to put the screws into the favourite when I was ready this week and that made the difference.”
Waller has only had Syreon in his care for a couple of weeks and said he was still finding his way with the son of Flying Spur who is owned by Bob and Anne-Marie Ruttley.
“I still don’t know a lot about him other than he’s a nice horse to work with,” Waller said.
“And he came to me in tremendous order from (previous trainer) Anne-Marie Ruttley. They had him ready to race.”
A winner of five of his 21 starts, Syreon is nominated for next month’s Group One Doncaster Mile (1600m).
“We paid up again the other day but he would have to win every race between now and then to get in there,” Waller said.
“We’re realistic and we’ll just see what happens.”
AAP TURF
