A memorable edition of the Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) was run and won at Randwick on Saturday with Robert Price’s lightly-raced two-year-old Jamaea staging an upset as a 17-1 pop.
The filly by Headwater returned to the races for the first time in just over a month to gun down $3.00 co-favourite Crystal Bound with a huge turn of foot over the concluding stages.
Fresh from a brief left-up, the two-year-old had plenty of work to do jumping from an awkward draw, but a patient ride from Tommy Berry proved the trick as the pair burst clear down the middle of the straight to win by half a length.
After winning on debut at Kembla Grange back in January over the same distance, Jamaea continued to show improvement rising through the grades to run second in the Listed Darley Lonhro Plate as a $14.00 chance, before returning a bold sixth in the Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes.
Jamaea was a $14.00 chance in Ladbrokes’ Percy Sykes Stakes market. Photo: Steve Hart.
Her most recent effort for second in the Group 3 Magic Night Stakes over the 1200m behind Blue Diamond Prelude winner Arcaded was equally full of merit, a resume Price felt pretty strongly about.
“I haven’t had a bet for three years and I had a bet today,” Price told Channel 7.
“I could’t see her getting beat, we just needed that little bit of luck. You’ve only got to look at her previous runs, she can roll off a sectional. She’s been reasonably green, so we were pretty happy with her today.”
Things didn’t go quite to plan for $2.80 favourite Najmaty.
Following a late drift, the daughter of I Am Invincible had her chances at a hat-trick squashed after failing to finish off under James McDonald down the straight.
Crystal Bound, meanwhile, stuck on well for second after taking up the lead from Very Fine Red close to the 300m mark in just her second race start.
Joyous Legend also bounced back from a luckless run last time out in the Reisling Stakes to run third.
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