Effervescent Frenchman Thomas Huet has expressed his love for Australia after claiming his first Sydney stakes win aboard Under The Sun at Rosehill.
Huet and the Gai Waterhouse-trained four-year-old exacted revenge on their last-start conqueror Mic Mac in Saturday’s Listed Winter Stakes (1400m).
Under The Sun - Photo by Steve Hart
Under The Sun finished second to Mic Mac in the Civic Stakes two weeks ago and met that horse 1kg better for that defeat.
Under The Sun, the $3.30 favourite, led all the way and stretched his advantage over Mic Mac ($7) inside the final 100 metres to win by 3-1/4 lengths with a half neck to Coup Ay Tee ($6.50).
“It is my first stakes winner here and I am very happy,” Huet said.
“I have been here five months and have had about 80 rides so far.
“I want to stay here. I love it. I love Australia.”
Huet works for the Waterhouse stable and is hoping to be able to get a visa to allow him to stay in Sydney permanently.
Waterhouse returned from a European holiday little more than a week ago to be greeted with the news Chris Waller had passed the Sydney trainers’ record she previously held along with her father TJ Smith.
But she has made sure Waller knows she is still around with multiple winners in the past week.
Former New Zealander Under The Sun continues a Waterhouse trend having been identified by her husband Robbie as having the potential to race in Sydney.
Mic Mac, who won his first race in four years two weeks ago, was anchored by 60.5kg, something his trainer Paul Messara had been concerned about leading into the race.
“With that weight it’s hard to pick up and run and that’s what happened,” Messara said.
“He will go to weight-for-age now and run in the Missile Stakes and the Warwick Stakes.”
The Missile Stakes is on August 10 and is also expected to feature the return of triple Group One winner Hay List.
