The Chris Waller-trained First Light ($4.40) has booked his ticket to the Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) after a dominant display in the Group 3 Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) at Rosehill on Saturday afternoon.
It was a big step-up in grade for the son of Dubawi after contest BM78 company last time out, however, he seemed to relish the Soft 6 conditions on offer as he picked up his first win at Rosehill at start 12.
Tommy Berry was happy to bide his time at the rear of the field, sitting last amongst the small field of seven throughout the journey, as James McDonald and Changingoftheguard ($5.00) strode to the front ticking over some moderate sectionals.
The race didn’t change complexion in the middle stages, with Canberra Legend ($9.00) sitting to his outside, while Campaldino ($4.80) and well-supported favourite Strathtay ($3.20) were stalking every step of the way.
When asked for an effort in the final 600m, First Light slowly started to build the revs, and there was only one horse you wanted to be on as the six-year-old bound clear to score by 3.1 lengths, leaving Changingoftheguard and Strathtay to fight out the minor placings.
2024 Group 3 Colin Stephen Quality Replay – First Light
Chris Waller was on course to represent the stable and confirmed the major possibility of First Light backing up into next Saturday’s Group 1 staying feature.
“It was an exciting win,” said Waller.
“Tommy just let him do his own thing, flopped out of the barriers, minded his own business and joined in at the top of the straight. And he came away for a really good win.
“We are (well represented in the Metrop) but it’s a Group One race so I’ll have a talk to Mrs Rupert and her team and see what they’ve got to say.
“They bred this horse in England and sent him out, and I’m sure it would mean a lot to them, a Group win and a Group One placing or a win (in The Metrop) wouldn’t be the worst thing.
“We’ve found in the past, backing horses up, it’s not always the worst thing in a staying race, they need to be fit. He can go home and won’t have to do any more galloping, he’s had his gallop today.”
Tommy Berry was confident thanks to the guidance of Chirs Waller pre-race and credited his mounts adaptability to get through conditions.
“He was (dominant),” said Berry.
“I had a really good feeling about him today on the back-up. Chris just wrapped up his preparation perfectly and I know he really likes wet ground. I said to Chris before the race, I said ‘I just would have loved it to be a bit softer’, and he goes, ‘he’ll be right’.
“So that gave me the confidence to ride him like I usually do and forget about the first half of the race, and when he’s in a field where it’s not that big and he doesn’t have as much ground to make up, he’s quite dynamic.”
First Light is now a $15.00 chance with horse racing bookmakers in the Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) on October 5.
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