News

Blessing in disguise for The Mikado

14th Mar 2010

Racenet - Clinton Payne - Saturday, 13 March 2010

The Tim Martin-trained The Mikado has unleashed a slashing turn of foot to thump his rivals in the Listed Strada Eskimo Prince Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

Martin said the horse was only at Randwick because of a "blessing in disguise" at Canberra last Sunday.

"He was in the Canberra Guineas but he got caught up in the barriers and they scratched him," Martin said.

The astute Rosehill trainer "freshened" the horse up by not galloping him all week and when he saw daylight in the straight he produced a sprint that put paid to his rivals in a matter of strides.

"He’s always shown a lot and I was quite confident coming into the race until the rain came," Martin said. "It scared me but I suppose we didn’t get too much.

"The good fast pace up front helped him but I love the way he let down."

The disappointment of the race was the effort by favourite Kiss From A Rose who tailed off.

"I got beaten a furlong, there’s something wrong with her I’d say," jockey Tim Clark said.

A subsequent vet inspection revealed Kiss From A Rose bled from both nostrils and received a three-month ban from the racetrack.

What they said – "He surprised me how well he let down today. It was very good," said winning jockey, Tye Angland.

"A good, fantastic effort. She’s going very well," said Glyn Schofield, jockey of the runner-up, Zingaling.

"He worked home nicely," said Damien Oliver, jockey of the third placegetter, Hus Der Lieften.

"She ran super," said Brenton Avdulla, rider of Al Sahra (4th).

"Disappointing. He went nowhere," said Jim Cassidy, rider of St Augustine (7th).

"I’d have liked to have drawn a gate. It may have made things interesting," said Tommy Berry, rider of Kanzan (8th).