In-form jockey Tim Clark has combined with two of Sydney’s leading stables to snare a feature race double at Rosehill, adding the Listed Starlight Stakes aboard Godolphin’s Zethus to his Group 3 Festival Stakes victory on the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Dajraan.
Clark turned in stalking rides on both horses, although Godolphin assistant trainer Darren Beadman said it was race sense rather than planning that led to Clark trailing the speed on Zethus.
“We didn’t intend him to be that handy, it was just the way that the race panned out,” Beadman said.
“Timmy was able to make a good executive decision and put him there. He is a very fit horse and around the corner today was the key to him.”
After resuming with a Moonee Valley victory in September and following it with a stakes placing at Caulfield, Zethus raced below expectations when finishing down the track at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day.
Beadman said the four-year-old struggled to adapt to the straight course and relished a return to a turning track at Rosehill.
“He just seemed to race a little one-paced and waiting for a corner at Flemington,” Beadman said.
“He was very good first-up and he’s got form behind (The Hunter winner) Vilana last preparation.
“We’ve always had a really nice opinion of the horse. He is very honest and I just think he needed a corner today.
“Back here in Sydney, back at Osborne Park and you can do a few different things, they love the water walker and all the facilities there, so it gives them a new lease of life.”
Zethus ($9) had enough in reserve to stave off the challenge of Sky Command ($7) with Fox Fighter ($7.50) a solid third.
The race wasn’t run to suit backmarker and $5 favourite Dragonstone, who wasn’t disgraced in finishing sixth in a race dominated by the on-speed horses.
