Headley Grange (ridden by Jason Collett) held off the fast finishing Welwal (ridden by Tommy Berry) to win by half a length.
Star jockey Jason Collett had a phenomenal Saturday at Randwick, riding three winners, including the feature Listed Civic Stakes (1400m) aboard the promising Headley Grange. The victory was particularly sweet for Harden man Bob Manwaring, who, through his ownership stake, seems to have found a genuine champion in Headley Grange. This stellar performance marked a strong return to Sydney racing for Collett, who has spent a significant portion of the winter carnival competing in Queensland.
Collett’s winning streak began early in the day. He first piloted Callistemon to victory in the Midway Handicap (1600m). He then followed up with a win on Lulumon in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1000m). The highlight of his day, however, was securing the prestigious Civic Stakes on Headley Grange, a horse that now boasts an unbeaten record in two starts this preparation.
Speaking about Headley Grange’s performance in the Civic Stakes, Collett praised the four-year-old’s tenacity: “He’s a nice horse. The tempo of that race was different to start last. It was genuinely run. He has quickened off it and then he’s had to tough it out. He just found another gear. When they came to him at the 150 (metres) he went again so that’s a really good sign.”
Headley Grange’s victory in the Civic Stakes adds another significant achievement to his already impressive resume which now stands at eight wins from 18 starts.
Trainer Joe Pride is particularly optimistic about the gelding’s future especially now that he has proven his capability in stakes company. Pride’s immediate goal is to qualify Headley Grange for the lucrative $3 million Big Dance (1600m), scheduled for Melbourne Cup Day.
Pride commented on Headley Grange’s successful step up in class: “Nice to see him step up to that higher grade today. That’s never easy to do in a high-pressure race with plenty of opposition. He’s come back particularly well this preparation and we will go to the South Grafton Cup next. We will try and qualify him for one of the ‘Dances’.”
A key factor in Headley Grange’s recent success has been an adjustment to his pre-race routine. The horse had a history of becoming agitated in the mounting yard. To mitigate this, stewards approved a change allowing Collett to mount Headley Grange just before the field proceeded to the track. This modification proved highly effective, with Collett confirming, “That’s what was needed and it worked. He stayed relaxed.”
In the Civic Stakes itself, Headley Grange ($2.45 fav), who had been trailing at a strong tempo, made his move in the straight. He skilfully peeled around the leaders and showed remarkable grit, digging deep to win by half a length. The fast-finishing Welwal ($26) claimed second place, with Astero ($51) finishing three-quarters of a length further back.
-Tully Potts
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