A whirlwind trip to London to represent Winx on the world stage has done nothing to stop jockey Hugh Bowman and trainer Chris Waller from combining for Sizzling Bullet’s victory at Randwick.
Winx was crowned the world’s best racehorse on turf on Wednesday morning (AEDT) and the jockey-trainer combination made their latest collaboration count one day later.
Bowman stepped off a plane in Sydney on Thursday morning and showed now signs of jet lag as he lifted Sizzling Bullet ($4.80) to win #TheRaces Handicap (1800m) by a half a length from $1.65 favourite Harper’s Choice.
“Never felt better,” Bowman said.
Sizzling Bullet settled last before Bowman put him into the race in the straight where he took until the final 50m to grind out the win.
The three-year-old colt is out of 2004 VRC Oaks winner Hollow Bullet and was bought by part-owner Vinery Stud for $450,000 as a yearling.
“He’ll fit into some of the better staying races for sure,” Waller said.
“I’ll have a talk to the team at Vinery and see how we’re situated in terms of timing for the autumn or the winter.”
Acquatic’s boilover win gave the stable an early race-to-race double, with jockey Adam Hyeronimus wearing Australian flag silks.
Sent out at $61, Acquatic won the Tab.Com.Au Plate (1200m) like an odds-on chance, coming from back in the field to sprint away to put three lengths on Every Chance ($31).
Drachenfels ($2.70 fav) ran third.
Waller said the key to the three-year-old gelding’s improvement was being ridden quietly.
“This horse has been panicking a lot, not breathing properly, not relaxing and then pulling up quite distressed after his races,” Waller said.
