A smart turn of foot carried Photographics to victory in Saturday’s A$120,000 Midway Handicap (1000m), improving her record in 1000m races at Randwick to two-from-two.
The New Zealand-bred daughter of Per Incanto was a stylish winner over the same course and distance on Boxing Day, then finished outside the placings at Warwick Farm in late January. Photographics returned to Randwick on Saturday and bounced back in style.
Apprentice jockey Molly Bourke took up a handy position in fourth behind a strong pace, then pushed the button in the straight. Photographics changed gears and burst to the front, going on to win by just over a length. She stopped the clock at a slick 56.55 seconds.
“She can be a very quirky mare and has taken a bit of figuring out,” said Bourke, who has been in the saddle for all of the filly’s three career victories.
“But I think this is how she runs best – when the speed is on and you can let her stay at her own speed and then work off that.”
Photographics has now had eight starts for three wins and A$120,525 in stakes. She was a debut winner at Warwick Farm in December of 2023, then went on to contest the Gr.2 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m), Gr.2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) and Gr.2 Furious Stakes (1200m).
Trainer John Sargent is pleased to see the filly finding her groove.
“Molly knows this filly really well and rode her just like when she won here two starts ago,” the expat New Zealander said. “I’m not really sure what happened at Warwick Farm last time. It was very hot that day and she got quite wound up and ran off the track. I’m just putting it down to a bad day.
“A strong pace like today really helps her, because it gets her off the bit. She’s won well.”
Photographics was bred by Jim Barlow and Tony Joyce’s Fusion Bloodstock and Max Brown of Brown Bloodstock. She was offered by Little Avondale Stud during Book 1 of the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka, where she failed to meet her $100,000 reserve.
Photographics was subsequently purchased by Barlow and leased to long-time friend Sargent to race with his family.
“This is great for the family,” Sargent said. “My kids own 25 percent each. I gave that to them, with no training fees, so they’re very happy. They’re doing up their house and whatever, so this will help them.”