Gerald Ryan’s full-brother to Golden Slipper winner Overreach, Standout retained his undefeated status on Golden Rose Stakes Day with a nice win over a quality field in the Listed $140,000 Heritage Stakes (1100m).
Standout scored an impressive win in the Heritage Stakes on Golden Rose Stakes Day. Photo: Steve Hart.
Opening the Black-Type action on Golden Rose Day, the Heritage Stakes featured eight three-year-old sprinters heading towards the bigger races over the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.
Hot favourite was the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Pago Pago Stakes winner from the autumn Cosmic Force returning to racing.
It was $12 pop Standout however who the punters came for late, the market mover going on to defeat the favourite in the Heritage Stakes results.
Jockey Tommy Berry won the 2013 Golden Slipper on Overreach and was also aboard his brother Standout (Exceed And Excel x Bahia) for the Heritage Stakes win to give the flashy chestnut colt his third win from as many career starts.
“He’s always been a horse, even as an early two-year-old I seen him on the track at Rosehill, and he’s caught my eye and obviously he’s a full-brother to Overreach who I won the Slipper on so comes from a great family,” winning hoop Berry told Sky Racing post-race.
“Always an honour to put these colours on for George Altomonte he’s a great breeder, massive supporter of the industry and it’s good to see him get another good horse.
“He used to go very keen, but Gerald and the girl that rides him at home and the team have done a massive job of getting him to switch off and full credit to them, I only had to turn up on race day.
“He’s racing properly now and that’s why it’s taken him so long.
“I think sort of 1200 (metres) would see him out (distance-wise) cause he’s pretty brilliant and he’s full of speed.”
On debut Standout won a three-years-old maiden at Gosford in mid-August, before carrying 59kg to victory at Randwick’s Kensington track on September 4.
In his first stakes test, the up-and-comer relished coming back to 56kg and was too good again over the 1100m distance.
Berry settled back off the speed on Standout letting the rails-drawn outsider Zedward lead the field around.
On the straight Dirty Work for Team Hawkes hit the front before Cosmic Force moved up to take him on.
Just as the favourite backers starter to gain confidence Standout, who had travelled beautifully into the turn, levelled-up with Cosmic Force and surged forward for a long neck win on the line.
Pandemic finished off the trifecta making up nice late ground in an encouraging first-up run for third.
Ryan named the Group 2 $300,000 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on October 12 or Listed $200,000 Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m) on October 26 as the next-up run for the then paddock-bound Standout.
“He’s got the pedigree, he’s got the looks and he’s got that AH on his side,” Ryan said.
“Right from the word go, he come into me September last year, Garry Frazer sent him in he pre-trained him and he told me he reckoned then he was a top racehorse.
“He wanted to do things a bit wrong in the autumn, over-raced.
“Decided to give him four months [in the paddock] and let him develop. I was never in a hurry with him.
“This was his first main aim and he’s come through it good.
“He might only have one more [run this time in] there’s the Roman Consul or the Brian Crowley.
“I really reckon this horse will come into his own in the autumn. He’s a big horse and those big horses get better as they get older and we’ve nurtured him so far so we won’t be in a hurry with him.
“Won’t be going to Melbourne no, he’ll stay at home and only have one more run perhaps and then he’ll go out.”
To back the Heritage Stakes winner Standout next race at the best odds, head to Ladbrokes.com.au.
