Source : Thoroughbred Daily News, by Georgie Dennis
A drop down in class saw regally bred entire Miyake (Deep Impact {Jpn}) return to the winner’s stall at Warwick Farm on Wednesday as the 4-year-old took out the Impeding at Darley H. with the minimum of fuss.
Bred and raced by Arrowfield Stud and trained by Chris Waller, Miyake went into the race off an unlucky run at Randwick behind She’s Ideel (Dundeel {NZ}) before hitting a wet track at Rosehill, both at Saturday meetings, and relished the drop back down to the Warwick Farm Wednesday meeting on top of the ground.
With the speed set by Mitchell Beer’s imported gelding Perfect Illusion (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), James McDonald had Miyake settled midfield and off the rails for the trip before looming up to his rivals with ease around the bend, and fought off Perfect Illusion to win by 0.5l.
Waller was pleased to get the entire back to winning ways and said he could have some more improvement to come.
“He has, (been racing well all preparation) but not much has gone his way including his last start,” Waller said. “He just didn’t have the track to suit and the start before that he just had no luck.
“So his form is certainly showing that he should be winning but he hasn’t been. Let’s hope he can win his next one as well.”
The champion trainer said a potential gelding operation could bring out even more improvement in Miyake.
“We thought he might have been a Derby horse as a 3-year-old but he hasn’t lived up to that through various reasons,” he said. “I guess in time he might be a gelding at some stage and you’ll see him go to that next level hopefully.”
McDonald echoed the opinion of Waller and said the entire only did enough to win but thinks he still had plenty left to give at the line.
“He’s got a good future,” the jockey said. “I think there’s a bit to come actually because even though it was a drop in grade today, he did it well and I think there was a bit up his sleeve.
“I think there’s a bit to come actually because even though it was a drop in grade today, he did it well and I think there was a bit up his sleeve.” – James McDonald
“He only did what he had to I felt, and while he put a margin on the second horse, he never galloped away or lost that margin so I felt there was more to give and he’ll need to give it when he gets up in class.
“I got to them very quickly and it felt like I was going to be ripping away but he only did what he had to like a typical colt.”
The Arrowfield-bred Miyake is the first foal out of G3 Ladies’ Day Vase winner and G1 Schweppes Oaks runner-up Star Fashion (Street Cry {Ire}), who herself is a daughter of multiple stakes winner and G1 Hong Kong Cup placegetter Elegant Fashion (Danewin).
Star Fashion has an unraced gelding named Still In Fashion (Redoute’s Choice) and foaled a colt by Snitzel this year, while she returned to the champion stallion again this season.
Photo : Bradley Photos