Five-year-old gelding No Compromise (NZ) (Pins) ran out a game winner of the Gr.3 Queen’s Cup (2400m) at Rosehill on Saturday as the former Kiwi gears up for a tilt at the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m).
The son of Pins, who began his career with Waverley trainer Bill Thurlow before transferring to Chris Waller, was ridden a lot handier to the speed than usual by jockey Jay Ford and kicked gamely to defeat stablemates Surefire (Fastnet Rock) and Chalk Stream (Sea The Stars) by half a length.
It was a black-type breakthrough for the impeccably bred stayer, who is a half-brother to star mare Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park) and all roads now lead to the Sydney Cup on April 9.
“He was (positioned) certainly a lot closer than I expected and all I’ve got on my mind is the Sydney Cup,” Waller said.
“Obviously, you want to win every start, but you don’t want to undo the plans. If he had got posted deep, it would have been a tricky run but to Jay’s credit he backed himself and got the job done.”
Winning rider Jay Ford was not intending to be as forward on the progressive stayer who has now won A$424,515, with six wins from 25 starts and a further 12 placings.
“We were just looking to ride him in the second half of the field but the problem was he took a step forward as the gates opened and he just launched straight into the bridle and put me a lot closer than I was hoping.
“I took my time trying to find some sort of position, sort of three pairs back but it was never going to eventuate.
“I just had to let him slide forward to outside lead. It just shows, the horse has been going really good from bad barriers, we’ve been riding him quiet, that was the plan again today but it just shows his versatility and it’s a good reward for him because his last two runs have been terrific.
“He’s a horse on the rise, he’ll stay, he handles all conditions, he still has to tick the two mile box but he’s well on his way.”
Bred and raised at Curraghmore, No Compromise was purchased at Karaka 2018 by former trainer Bill Thurlow for $40,000 and is raced by his brother Grant and his wife Patty.
Out of Galileo mare Baggy Green, No Compromise is also a half-brother to Group Three galloper Benaud (Reliable Man) and closely related to Group One winners Funstar (Adelaide) and Youngstar (High Chaparral).