Grahame Begg’s classy mare Palacio De Cristal scored an impressive first-up win in the $200,000 Group 2 Blazer Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Sunday.
The punters were behind Encosta De Lago five-year-old Palacio De Cristal, backing her into the equal $5 favourite to win her first start since April following a promising barrier trial at Randwick earlier in the month.
She lived up to expectations, running strongly on Sunday to defeat equal favourite and Let’s Elope Stakes winner No Evidence Needed ($5) by a head with Gerald Ryan’s Strawberry Field ($12), a half-sister to Palacio De Cristal, a further two lengths away in third.
It was a gallant run from Palacio De Cristal who hit the front early in the race and did well to hang on for the win.
Palacio De Cristal was ridden by Dwayne Dunn, who has an unbeaten record for Grahame Begg having also won aboard Palacio De Cristal in the 2008 Moet And Chandon Stakes as well as winning the Group 1 Emirates Stakes with All Silent that same year.
Sunday’s win was Palacio De Cristal’s fifth career victory from 22 starts, boosting her total earnings to $430,700.
Begg has named the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day, Saturday October 30 during the Melbourne Cup Carnival as the primary spring target for Palacio De Cristal.
Before the Myer Classic, Palacio De Cristal is scheduled to contest the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) on Caulfield Cup Day, October 16.
If she backs up well from the Myer Classic, Begg will consider running her in the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m) on the following Thursday.
Follow Palacio De Cristal throughout her spring campaign and get on her to win at the best odds by signing up with leading online bookie [sportsbet] today!
2010 Blazer Stakes Results
| Place | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Margin | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PALACIO DE CRISTAL | Dwayne Dunn | Grahame Begg | 1-23.97 | $5EF |
| 2 | NO EVIDENCE NEEDED | James Winks | John P Thompson | 0.2L | $5EF |
| 3 | STRAWBERRY FIELD | Craig Newitt | Gerald Ryan | 1.2L | $13 |
| 4 | LADY LYNETTE | Nicholas Hall | David & Scott Brunton | 2.2L | $10 |
| 5 | OCEAN CHALLENGER | Luke Nolen | Darren Magro | 3.5L | $31 |
| 6 | CULMINATE | Michael Walker | Darren Weir | 3.7L | $9 |
| 7 | SMALL MINDS | Dean Holland | John P Thompson | 3.9L | $31 |
| 8 | DYSPHONIA | Mark Zahra | Peter Snowden | 4.0L | $5EF |
| 9 | AMBERINO | Blake Shinn | John Moloney | 4.3L | $61 |
| 10 | HAPPY HIPPY | Stathi Katsidis | John P Thompson | 5.5L | $26 |
| 11 | ABSOLUTE FAITH | Glyn Schofield | John McArdle | 7.5L | $31 |
| 12 | MARHETA | Corey Brown | Michael Moroney | 7.6L | $26 |
| 13 | ACQUIRED | Bobby El-Issa | Robert Heathcote | 7.5L | $26 |
| 14 | MY EMOTION | Craig Williams | Michael Kent | 9.5L | $81 |
| 15 | CASUAL FRIDAY | Chris Symons | Matthew Ellerton & Simon Azhra | 12.FL | $91 |
| 16 | IRISH LIGHTS | Steven Arnold | David Hayes | 14.0L | $13 |
| SCR | MAGESTIC MUSIC | – | Leon Macdonald | – | – |
| SCR | RHYTHM IN PARIS | – | Jason Warren | – | – |
| SCR | SISTER MADLY | – | Anthony Cummings | – | – |
| SCR | LIVE IN SIN | – | Peter G Moody | – | – |
