This time round it is all so different for Wyong trainer Stephen Farley. Two years ago the one time chicken catching and trackwork rider had “the cheapie” Sincero primed for George Main Stakes.
The $8,000 yearling purchase didn’t let Farley and a set of loyal owners, who know how to celebrate, down.
The gelding claimed the prized group 1 having won a first major a couple of months earlier when winning the $1m Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm.
The George Main was run at Rosehill two years ago but it has returned to its home of Randwick where last year’s winner Shoot Out is also a contender on Saturday.
Sincero and Shoot Out don’t rate highly in a race where the Doncaster Mile winner Sacred Falls awaits, as does the Queensland Derby victor Hawkspur and other group 1 winners like Streama and Royal Descent.
“It might be a small field, I wouldn’t swap mine but you wouldn’t mind having any of them in your stable,” Farley said on Friday.
“Another real good field and the favourite Hawkspur is the one to beat but you’d like to see him repeat his Chelmsford romp.
“They’re all hard to beat at this level and of course you need luck, you need luck winning a maiden at Wyong.”
Two years ago Sincero returned from the Stradbroke win to be beaten a nose in the Tramway Stakes. This time round Sincero returned from an injury enforced lay off to beat one home in the same race.
The sesamoid injury suffered to the off front foot of Sincero led to the son of Umatilla missing the last autumn carnival.
“Thankfully we got it early,” Farley said.
“He was probably one gallop away from doing more damage. Three different vets looked at him and they gave me three different time frames so we took the longest one.”
So Farley knew Sincero wasn’t at his peak when returning in the Tramway.
“It was a good field, I know he got cover but he was three deep,” Farley said.
“He had to cover more ground. He’d had enough 150m out, he only got beat 3.5lengths, if he got beat 8lengths it would be a different story.
“I was happy enough with the first-up run and Brenton Avdulla [jockey] was happy too. He thought he lacked a bit of fitness and when he grabbed hold over the last 30 yards he pulled up quick.”
And the stable star continues to surprise.
“He pulled up incredibly well,” Farley said.
“I was very surprised myself with how he pulled up. I’ve been able to do what I want with him.
“Hopefully he’ll get a softer run tomorrow and he can find the line like we know he can.”
By Craig Young
