Promise Of Success has taken out the $2 million The Invitation (1400m) for fillies and mares at Royal Randwick for John O’Shea and Kerrin McEvoy.
The six-year-old Dansili import was up against a cracking field of quality mares and second up this preparation after a last start seventh on October 8 in the Group 3 The Nivison (1200m).
Though a Group 2 winner last time in when taking out the Newcastle Emancipation Stakes 1500m in March, Promise of Success jumped at the longest odds at $26 odds with online bookmakers.
Coming from the middle of the field at the top of the straight, Promise of Success came down the outside of the leading pack, taking the lead at the 150m and going on with it for the neck length win over Electric Girl ($18). Nimalee ($6) took third in a photo with Belle Plaisir ($20).
Last year’s winner and equal favourite Icebath missed the jump and had her ears ridden off during the opening stages. Although she was finishing strongly, she had given too much of a start to the rest of the runners.
The Invitation 2022 Replay
O’Shea said they were glad to get a quality rider like McEvoy for the ride on Promise of Success.
“To be fair, even though she ran third last the other day he was keen to stick with her. He’s backed his judgment and it paid off. Alex, my foreman who works tirelessly, a lot of it is due to her work.
“It’s really exciting to win a nice race like this. We’ve been bullish on the mare, and she has come here today and raced accordingly. It’s a tremendous group of people (involved) so I’m just so happy for them.”
McEvoy was confident the mare had the ability to show up today.
“She’s a big strong mare and a quality mare in her own right. The last run didn’t really go to plan, it was a quickly run race in heavy ground and we got back, and she actually dipped quite badly a couple of times,” he said.
“I said to John ‘just put a complete line through that’
“She won a couple of nice races over seven furlongs last time in and gave me a good feel in doing it, so I was confident to just switch her off early.
“I switched her off as best I could, she travelled quite keen a couple of times but at the top of the lane she was full of running. Well played to John and the team.
“They backed it right off and I went from eighth in the three wide line with a bit cover and ended up fifth or six through doing no work, so I was happy enough where I was straightening up.
“That head on wind is blowing them around in the straight but she is a big strong girl and was powerful to the line.”
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