Amazingly for the second-consecutive year the Group 2 Caulfield Sprint (1000m) has been awarded to two runners after both Lumosty and Éclair Choice produced huge efforts to finish tied ahead of a talent-rich field this afternoon.
Lumosty (outside) and Eclair Choice (inside) could not be split in this afternoon’s Caulfield Sprint. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos
Both Lumosty and Éclair Choice enjoyed good jumps from the barriers and were settled off the pace of early leaders Ball Of Muscle, Headwater and Rain Affair who were allowed to stride forward and set a noticeably quick early tempo in the Caulfield Sprint.
Rounding the final straight wide and with plenty to do, jockeys Dom Tourneur and Dwayne Dunn allowed their mounts ample time to balance before each mustering big sprints to hit the line tied, a length in the clear of the talented Joe Pride sprinter who remains yet to finish outside the first three in seventeen career starts.
Lumosty’s jockey Dwayne Dunn delivered a typically polished performance aboard the mare and was quick to lay the praise on the class of the four-year-old in the tied success.
“I gave her a sweet ride until the top of the straight and just got held up a little bit,” Dunn said after the race.
“I got on the back of the other winner and just stop of got stopped for a stride or two but then she really launched late.
“Robert said she wasn’t fully wound up today but expected her to run really well.
“This track looked a little leader-ish for the first two races but that was more tempo and as you see in this race, Dominic and I were back in the ruck and we were able to finish. The track’s playing very fair.”
Éclair Choice’s trainer Phillip Stokes was on hand for the exciting 2015 Caulfield Sprint result revealed he will pleased his runner was able to dead heat the race after appearing to fade late.
“I was just pleased to get a dead heat, that’s fine,” Stokes said.
“He’s underrated and he hasn’t had much luck this prep.
“We put blinkers on him earlier in the prep and it was probably a mistake, so took those off today and he jumped a lot better.
“This looked like a nice race and he’s done the job.”
In an incredible turn of events this is the second-consecutive dead heat in the Caulfield Sprint after Group 1 winners Bel Sprinter and Miracles Of Life couldn’t be split in 2014.
Bet with Ladbrokes.com.au today to take advantage of Top Tote or SP plus 20% on race Caulfield Cup Day races!
