Lindsey Smith’s Group 1 winning sprinter Scales Of Justice returned to winning form first-up at Caulfield on Saturday scoring an upset at double-figures in the 2019 Bletchingly Stakes results.
Scales Of Justice returned to winning form first-up in the 2019 Bletchingly Stakes. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The former Perth-based Not A Single Doubt six-year-old was one of nine hopefuls in this season’s Group 3 $160,000 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m), the gelding contesting the weight-for-age sprint in his first run since November last year.
In an outstanding late charge, the $11 shot in Bletchingly Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au was ridden to victory by Dean Yendall.
It was the first turf triumph by Scales Of Justice since the Group 3 Strickland Stakes (2000m) at Belmont in July of 2017 and his biggest victory since taking out the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot in 2016.
Last year’s third placegetter, Mick Bell’s evergreen veteran Jungle Edge led the Bletchingly Stakes field around looking to go one better than his last start second in the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at the track on July 13.
Jungle Edge failed to overcome his Caulfield hoodoo however, forced to settle for second again, battling on well when beaten home by the commanding 3.25 length winner Scales Of Justice.
“I was confident a long way out, probably at the half-mile actually because he began so well,” winning hoop Yendall told the media post-victory.
“He began cleanly and lobbed in a nice spot without doing any work, travelled well and I brought him to the outside probably earlier than I wanted because I didn’t want anything sneaking around and putting me in a pocket.
“He got to the outside and he was just too good.”
In third rounding out the Bletchingly Stakes trifecta a further two and a half lengths back was returning Group 3 winner Cliff’s Edge.
The short-priced favourite Sesar failed to finish within eight lengths running sixth.
Winning trainer Smith was full of post-race praise for his $1.5 million earner who looks in top form for a big Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
“He’s got the best character of any horse I’ve ever seen or dealt with,” he told Racing Victoria.
Likely spring targets coming up for Scales Of Justice include a return to Caulfield on August 17 for the Group 2 $200,000 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) and the Group 1 $1 million Memsie Stakes (1400m) a fortnight later.
All-in Memsie Stakes 2019 betting on the August 31 feature is now open at Ladbrokes.com.au and led by Group 1 winning Tassie filly Mystic Journey ($3) who was a non-acceptor for the Bletchingly Stakes.
