News

Manawanui cruises to victory in $150,000 'barrier trial'

25th Sep 2011

The Sunday Telegraph - Ray Thomas - Sunday, 25 September 2011

TRAINER Ron Leemon gave an apt description of Manawanui's easy win at Rosehill yesterday: "It was more a barrier trial than a race."

Manawanui jumped straight to the front, stayed in cruise control the whole way and coasted to the line with his ears cocked to win the Group 2 $250,000 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill yesterday.

It is impossible to imagine any racehorse earning a $150,000 first prizemoney cheque more easily.

Leemon said Manawanui's effort was the ideal preparation for the Group 1 $1 million Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 8.

"I didn't want him to have too hard a race and that was just perfect," Leemon said.

"He controlled the race beautifully, nothing was going to outsprint him and, without being pressured, it was like a good barrier trial."

Manawanui, who went to the post at $1.12, to be one of the shortest favourites in a feature Sydney race in years, never gave his backers a moment's concern, winning easing down by nearly two lengths from Roma Giaconda ($71) with Cocky Raider ($16) a half-length away third.

One punter invested a cool $250,000 on the three-year-old with a corporate bookmaker.

Champion jockey Glyn Schofield decided the best place to position Manawanui was in front and out of trouble and he had no hesitation in taking up the early running.

From that point, the race became a procession. "His ears were twitching at the 200m, so he was just doing it very easily," Schofield said.

"Ron hasn't been aggressive with this horse since it won the Golden Rose, so there is a lot of improvement left in the horse.

"It's hard to say just how much he can improve but he gives me the impression he has a lot more to give."

Manawanui will attempt to become the first horse to win the Golden Rose-Stan Fox Stakes-Caulfield Guineas treble.

Some outstanding three-year-olds have tried and failed to win all three races, including Paratroopers (2005), Court Command (2006) and Denman (2009), but Leemon is quietly confident Manawanui can create a unique piece of racing history at Caulfield next start.

"I know Glyn said that Smart Missile was never going to get past Manawanui in the Golden Rose," Leemon said.

"Manawanui kept finding a bit more when Smart Missile came at him that day which is a great sign."

Manawanui scored his fifth win in succession in the Stan Fox and took his career earnings to nearly $940,000 from just six race starts - an impressive return on the $45,000 investment Leemon paid for the gelding at the Inglis Sydney Classic Yearling Sale last year.

Manawanui's owners, including Leemon's wife Gaye, have rejected a series of $1 million-plus offers with one to "name your own price" from a bloodstock agent acting on behalf of Asian clients just last week.

"He's not for sale," Leemon said. "You wait your whole life to get a good horse like this bloke and we just want to enjoy racing him."