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Rain Affair gave the best exhibition of sustained sprinting in Sydney to win the $250,000, Group 2, WFA Hako Australia Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday since Black Caviar defeated Hay List in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes last autumn
Photo by Racing and Sports
The Joe Pride trained Commands four-year-old came from barrier 12 under Corey Brown surging to the lead and that was the closest the rest of the field got to him. With 1000m to run Brown had taken Rain Affair across the field to the rails and under a tight hold they were already 1 1/2L ahead.
Startsmeup and Brenton Avdulla and Sniper's Bullet and Kathy O'Hara led the rest as they tried to stay in touch with the flying Rain Affair with Shoot Out and Hugh Bowman racing in behind them.
Turning for the main straight Rain Affair was cruising at such a high level that they could not stay in touch and the margin went to 2L and still Brown had not asked for another gear. Finally with 250m to run Brown let Rain Affair off the leash and away the sprinter went opening up the margin with every stride.
With 150m to run Brown looked over his left shoulder for the field and they were away in the distance with the win safe in Rain Affair's keeping. With 20m to go Brown eased Rain Affair and the winning margin was 2 1/4L.
Shoot Out (High Chaparral) and Bowman came to the line well for second over Danleigh (Mujahid) and Jim Cassidy, the margin a head. Herculian Prince (NZ) was fourth, Centennial Park (NZ) fifth and Tullamore (NZ) sixth.
The time was 1.22.34, outside of the race record by 0.19, with the final 600m in 35.59. Rain Affair paid $1.60 on NSW TAB.
Punters had supported Rain Affair from the moment TAB Sportsbet's market opened on Wednesday despite the $1.40 initially on offer. The bookmaker reported that plenty of $3,000, $4,000 and $5,000 bets came for Rain Affair and just before jump one customer outlaid $40,000 @ $1.50.
The win broke a 77-year record by becoming the first horse to win at nine successive Sydney metropolitan race starts with the longest winning streak in Sydney since the legendary Peter Pan in 1935.
“He is a better horse than what he was last preparation and I think he will be a better horse next preparation so I am happy with the progress he is making. On that it was a pretty good Newmarket trial I reckon, but there are a few things to consider,” said Pride.
“He was probably on his worst behaviour today and while I do not think they are slowing him down if you take a horse away it adds extra pressure. A crowd of 50,000 at Flemington might upset him a bit so I will not be rushing him.
“I kind of like the way he is winning so I want to keep that happening,” he said.
Rain Affair took fright in the mounting yard and put on a exhibition until he went out onto the track under Brown.
Pride said that if he does not send Rain Affair to Flemington for the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) on March 10th then he will freshen him up for a BMW Sydney Carnival campaign of $175,000, Group 2, Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on March 24th and then the Group 1 WFA duo of TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) and All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 14th and 28th respectively.
“He is an amazing horse to watch race and he sends a chill up the spine. He is just going to keep winning if he races like that,” he said.
“He is lazy trackworker and we only see this on raceday. He is the only horse I have been able to celebrate at the 300m and it is a fantastic feeling. I have never had a horse go through the grades like this and he is a special horse to train and a special horse to watch race,” he said.
“That was very good. Today he jumped on terms with them and I just loved his attitude at the first furlong and I did not squeeze him and then he gathered himself up,” said Brown.
“He is starting to take things a lot easier than he used to when he was a bundle of nerves but now he is just starting to relax and he is coming back to me really well, onwards and upwards.
“You know that you are going at a good tempo so any horse that can quicken off a tempo that he is going is a really good horse. He takes a good 100m to get rolling but you can definitively feel him that once he gets past that 100m he hits top gear,' he said.
Rain Affair, out of the Octagonal mare Believe, is raced by his breeder Doug Storey and this was his 10th win. Stakes are now $684,200.