Next month’s A$2.5 million Gr.1 All-Star Mile (1600m) is looming large on the horizon for Rise At Dawn (NZ) (Almanzor), who scored his fourth win in succession with a smart first-up performance in the A$175,000 Listed The Elms Handicap (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday.
The New Zealand-bred son of Almanzor rose impressively through the grades last winter, recording four wins and two second placings from a six-start campaign. That preparation ended with a winning treble on August 3, 17 and 31, culminating in his first black-type success in the Listed Heatherlie Handicap (1700m) at Caulfield.
Rise At Dawn had two jumpouts in January and won them both as he built towards his return to racing for trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes. He stepped out on Saturday and picked up right where he had left off in his last campaign.
Rise At Dawn settled in third place as Buffalo River (Noble Mission) opened up a big margin through the middle stages of the race. That runner began to tire in the straight, and Rise At Drawn swept past him with 200m remaining.
Under a hands-and-heels ride from Michael Dee, Rise At Dawn kicked clear and went on to win by a length and a quarter from the late-closing Aztec Ruler (Universal Ruler) and Just Folk (Magnus).
“He’s gone unbelievable today,” Will Hayes said. “He went through the grades terrifically last time in, I think he gained himself 24 rating points in a single prep.
“To resume at open level, 1400m at Flemington, there’s a lot of credit to that victory today.
“The best thing about this win was the way he was able to absorb such a hot tempo set by Buffalo River. It was also a great ride by Mick. He judged him perfectly and didn’t get there too soon, especially being first-up. He was a chance to be vulnerable on the soft track.
“What you saw there was a seasoned racehorse who’s got an exciting prep ahead.”
The Hayes team hope to have Rise At Dawn lining up alongside stable star Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) in the All-Star Mile at Flemington on March 8.
“It’s pretty exciting,” Hayes said. “If everything goes to plan, there’ll be two sets of Lindsay Park silks there.”
Dee is now unbeaten in three rides on Rise At Dawn.
“He’s just so tough,” Dee said. “He tries hard, he puts himself close to the speed and always puts in a gutsy performance. He had trialled exceptionally well leading into this and I was always fairly confident.
“It probably didn’t help that Buffalo River went out so hard, it just sort of made us chase a long way from home, but we ended up in a nice spot and he was cruising a long way from home.
“He’s very fit, he had a very long prep last prep and never put a foot wrong, and he’s come back just as well.”
Rise At Dawn has now had 13 starts for eight wins and two second placings.
Bred by the Smithies family’s Monovale Holdings, Rise At Dawn was purchased by Lindsay Park for A$90,000 at the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. He has earned A$598,085 for his syndicate of owners, which includes long-time Lindsay Park foreman Bruno Rouge-Serret.
Rise At Dawn is an older brother of last season’s Gr.3 Taranaki 2YO Classic (1200m) placegetter Kay’s Ruebe (NZ) (Almanzor) with their dam the Listed Newmarket Handicap (1200m) winner and multiple Group One placegetter Kay’s Awake (NZ) (Towkay).