A Magic Millions Dane Ripper Stakes victory – not a bad effort for a bargain buy who some thought was a “lemon” early in her career.
That was why you couldn’t wipe the smile off Chris Munce’s face – the trainer of triumphant four-year-old mare Palaisipan – at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Luke Tarrant summoned her late on the straight to salute from barrier one, beating Najmaty by three-quarters of a length.
2022 Dane Ripper Stakes Replay
Palaisipan now has a respectable six wins from 11 starts, and she has come a long way since her first start for Munce in a maiden at Ipswich on April 12 last year, which she won.
But the former champion jockey deserves credit for the hard work he has put into his mare, turning her into the consistent sprinter she now is.
“Mark Newnham had her as an early yearling. I’m good friends with Mark and I was looking for a tried horse, and I rang him and said ‘what do you think of her?’” he told Sky Racing.
“He said ‘I haven’t done much with her, but she’s a nice filly’. We ended up buying her for $40,000, which was probably cheap now.
“I got her home, and everyone who rode her said I bought a lemon, so I was a bit worried.
“I thought ‘oh, what’s going on here?’
“But as soon as we got her fit, and got her up and going, she’s always showed that touch of class.”
Munce took plenty of positives out of Palaisipan’s fifth-placed finish last start in a Benchmark 85 Handicap (1640m) at Doomben on June 1.
“The other day she was probably found wanting a little bit. She missed a bit of work with the wet weather, but she needed a gallop and it really topped her off today,” he said.
“I thought when she drew well that she would be hard to beat. I said to Luke coming out ‘don’t get hooked up on the fence’.
“I was a bit worried at the 600m, but he waited and he finished off well.”
Tarrant was not short on belief after his mare drew barrier one for the last race on the card of a bumper Stradbroke Handicap Day at Eagle Farm.
That was because he knew his sprinter possessed plenty of ability.
“As soon as we drew the one gate I was pretty confident, to be honest,” he said.
“With the one gate I was able to just land there without doing any work. I just needed a split at the top of the straight, and thankfully it came.”
Tarrant has a chequered past, including a six-month suspension served for headbutting and verbally abusing opponent Larry Cassidy last year.
The 27-year-old has also been in trouble with police in the past, including being found guilty of drugs-related charges in court.
So he was just grateful to pick up a ride on the outsider, paying $21 with online betting sites.
“Serious thanks to Chris Munce for having me. I’m just happy to be here on a day like today,” he said.
“After a rough past I didn’t think I’d be back here this early.
“To ride a winner is massive.
“Credit to my manager – she hassled Chris all week as far as I know.”
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