Emma-Jayne Wilson's impressive performance
At Woodbine, the track saw a range of challenging weather conditions including extreme heat, sudden storms, heavy rain, and particularly ferocious winds. Despite these conditions, jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson delivered an impressive performance, securing three consecutive wins to cap off a successful week with a total of six victories.
Owned by Rob Marzilli, Wilson guided Town’s Warrior to victory in a claiming race, tracking the speed effectively. Sedbury’s Ghost, this two-year-old second-time starter, trained by Barb Minshall for owner Yawen Wu, showed improvement under Wilson's ride. Randy Bharathy's Mighty Sea thrived on the grass track, appreciating the return to turf under Wilson's skilful handling.
The standout performer of the day was Swift Delivery, a three-year-old grey gelding by Not This Time, owned by Gary Barber. Purchased for $55,000 via digital sale from D. J. Stable and Mark Casse's Quintessential Racing in May, Swift Delivery made a remarkable 16 1/2-length victory in a maiden special weight race. Jockey Patrick Husbands guided Swift Delivery skillfully, utilising the wind conditions to his advantage and making a decisive move around rivals on the final turn. Despite not posting the fastest time of the day for 1 1/16 miles (clocking 1:45.28), Swift Delivery earned an impressive 90 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form, showcasing his potential.
The day's feature race, the finale with a Mandatory Payout of the Super High 5 carrying over $350,000, attracted significant attention with $1.6 million wagered. The race was won by Lac Macaza, a 6-to-1 shot under jockey Kazushi Kimura, trained by Julia Carey for Discovery Racing and Goldie Stables. Lac Macaza stormed to victory in a crowded finish, clocking a considerably faster time of 1:44.37 for 1 1/16 miles compared to Swift Delivery's race.
In another notable race, Hurricane Clair won a 1 1/16-mile inner turf race decisively. The daughter of Silent Name (Jpn) out of Hurricane Lorraine by Weather Warning, Hurricane Clair dominated at odds of 3-to-5 in the turf allowance, winning by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:48.47. Despite the soft inner turf conditions, Hurricane Clair posted a career-best Beyer Figure of 74. Owned by David Robotham, Rodney Carpenter, and Tony Boogmans, and trained by Martin Drexler, Hurricane Clair was bred by Bru-Mel Stables and purchased as a yearling for $35,000.
Total wagering on the Woodbine card exceeded $8 million, highlighting the day's significant betting interest and competitive racing action despite challenging weather conditions.
These performances at Woodbine showcased resilience and skill in both equine and human athletes, navigating unpredictable weather and delivering thrilling racing moments to fans and bettors alike.
25 June 2024, 16:00