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Stacks living the dream thanks to Regal Cheer
DREAMS do come true in the racing game. Just ask the connections of
one of the game's most honest thoroughbreds which goes by the name of
Regal Cheer.
For the three-year-old's owners, Gloria and Gordon Stack, life just
continues to get better.
It wasn't that long ago that Gloria Stack was left fighting for her
life after one of the family's shops went up in flames when a gas leak
erupted at Hurstville railway station.
"This is just wonderful," a jubilant Gordon Stack said after Regal
Cheer claimed a belated and much deserved group 1 victory in a
thrilling Coolmore Classic at Rosehill yesterday.
The gripping win was a credit to the training ability of Joseph Pride,
while former champion Queensland apprentice Michael Rodd rode a
brilliant race to claim his first Sydney major.
"At the start of the preparation this race was just a dream more than
anything," Pride said.
"But throughout the campaign we always kept it in the back of our
minds.
"I thought if we could win the Surround Stakes that would be good, and
this would be a bonus."
Pride, who described his second group 1 win as "just fantastic", had
nothing but praise for Regal Cheer, which at start No 15 yesterday won
for the sixth time.
She has netted the Stacks - her owner/breeders - more than $714,000 in
prizemoney.
"She is a small, compact filly and very professional," Pride said.
"The surprising thing is she is real kind for a filly. It is not a
myth most good mares can be cantankerous."
Rodd, who spent all but three months of the last two years riding
successfully in Hong Kong, has returned to Brisbane and does not
intend shifting to Sydney permanently any time soon, because "the surf
is too good up there".
Rodd has won group 1 races on another mighty mare, Regimental Gal, but
never in Sydney and the Coolmore was courtesy of Glen Boss opting to
partner Prisoner Of Love, which was sent out the $4.80 favourite
yesterday but could finish only 14th. "I just couldn't believe how
good she travelled," Rodd said.
"At the 700m I thought she was going to track up on to their [leaders]
heels she was going that good."
Knowing Regal Cheer was suspect at the 1500 metres, Rodd held her up
for as long as possible so she could utilise her greatest weapon - a
short, sharp sprint. He followed the plan to perfection.
Regal Cheer ($9.50) surged away from rivals halfway up the straight
and dug deep to defy the sweepers, including Toowoomba filly Star
Shiraz ($31), which closed to within a neck on the line. "I was very
pleased with the way she got home," trainer Rex Lipp said of the
runner-up.
"And Michael Walker rode her just how I wanted her, and you don't
often get that with jockeys."
A further long neck away in third place was dual group 1-winning filly
Mnemosyne ($5), which rattled home from the rear.
Mnemosyne is part of Jack Ingham's Woodlands Stud operation and
general manger Trevor Lobb is confident the filly will join
Paratroopers - an impressive winner of the Canterbury Stakes earlier
in the day - in the Doncaster Handicap.
While saying it was up to trainer John Hawkes, he politely asked: "on
that effort, what do you think?"
By
Craig Young ROSEHILL
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