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Punters may have been put off by Opinion’s weight in the Stayers Cup at Randwick but he has shown exactly why he earned it with a comprehensive win.
The only other race apart from the Sydney Cup run over 3200 metres in Sydney, Saturday’s race attracted a field of 11 with Group One winner Opinion carrying 62kg, eight kilograms more than the other 10 runners.
But in a true handicap, the 2014 Metropolitan winner would have given them much more.
Sent out at $11, Opinion travelled comfortably near the tail of the field with Rory Hutchings making his move near the home turn.
The topweight travelled easily down the straight to beat his Chris Waller-trained stablemate Murphy’s Delight ($3.70) by 1-1/4 lengths with the favourite Zatopaz ($3.60) the same margin third.
“Class prevails,” Waller’s racing manager Charlie Duckworth said.
“If he didn’t show a glimmer of form today this may have been his last run.
“I don’t think this was the strongest field and he is a Group One winner and experienced at the distance.
“Now that he has won, hopefully he can win a couple more at this time of year because he is dependent on the ground being soft.”
It was the third win of the day for stable apprentice Hutchings, who said he had little experience of racing over the Melbourne Cup distance.
“It’s hard work,” he said.
“I might have ridden over 3200 metres two or three times.
“I held him together until the turn and he was always travelling well.”
Opinion began his career in England and is still owned by Harry Herbert’s Highclere Thoroughbreds Syndicate. – AAP Turf