Glamour mare More Joyous further confirmed claims she is the star of Gai Waterhouse’s stable with another brilliant spring win in the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Four-year-old daughter of More Than Ready More Joyous started as the hot $1.60 favourite in the 2010 George Main Stakes betting and was never challenged coasting to a one and three quarter length win over Trusting ($31) with Bart Cummings’ $101 roughie Empires Choice finishing a further three quarters of a length away third.
Ridden by champion jockey Corey Brown, More Joyous burst clear from the field midway down the home straight on Saturday and held on to become the first mare since Ma Chiquita (1986) to win the George Main Stakes.
Waterhouse’s other George Main Stakes starter Theseo finished a disappointing seventh.
It was the third consecutive victory for More Than Ready this season following her smart wins in the Sheraco Stakes and Theo Marks Stakes, boosting her career record to nine wins from 12 starts for over $1.14 million in prize money and giving Waterhouse her 99th Group 1 victory.
The win saw Sportsbet further shorten their odds on More Joyous in the 2010 Cox Plate betting, now paying $5.50 for the mare to win the $3 million weight-for-age showdown at Moonee Valley on October 23.
Reigning Cox Plate champion So You Think is still the warm favourite to win again this year paying $2.40 at Sportsbet, but More Joyous is out to become only the second horse in history along with the mighty Kingston Town (1981-82) to take out the George Main Stakes-Cox Plate double.
Opting to bypass this Saturday’s Epsom Handicap, More Joyous will have her final Cox Plate preparation in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield on October 9.
The other Group race features held at Randwick on Saturday included the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes (1400m) won by Decision Time, the Group 3 Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) where No Wine No Song claimed an upset win in a race that saw raging favourite Herculian Prince finish last, and the Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) taken out by Drumbeats.
The Sydney Spring Carnival action continues this Saturday with Randwick’s Epsom Handicap Day and to ensure you get the best price on your selections, sign up with [sportsbet] today!
2010 George Main Stakes Results
| Place | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MORE JOYOUS (NZ) | Gai Waterhouse | C Brown | 1.60F |
| 2 | TRUSTING | John P Thompson | J Cassidy | 31.00 |
| 3 | EMPIRES CHOICE (NZ) | Bart Cummings | T Clark | 101.00 |
| 4 | DANLEIGH | Chris Waller | H Bowman | 8.00 |
| 5 | BLACK PIRANHA | Con Karakatsanis | B Rawiller | 11.00 |
| 6 | CONISTON BLUEBIRD | Bede Murray | G Schofield | 301.00 |
| 7 | THESEO | Gai Waterhouse | N Rawiller | 4.20 |
| 8 | SNAPY HALO (ARG) | John O’Shea | M Rodd | 71.00 |
