THE mood at Randwick was electric, and when jockey Tommy Berry paraded Art Cadeau down the track in front of the grandstands after the win in the $1.3 million ATC The Kosciuszko, the crowd cheered wildly with emotions running at fever-pitch.
For country trained gallopers only and the world's richest race in this category, The Kosciuszko whipped up the crowd into a happy frenzy and which continued after The Everest, Sydneysiders not only celebrating winners on the track but feeling the joy of some new-found freedoms.
It was a classic duel to the post with the 2019 The Kosciuszko winner Handle The Truth, at one stage two lengths clear, with the never-say-die Art Cadeau chasing, the latter getting the nod by just a head in the tight finish.
By Widden Stud's Star Witness, Handle The Truth prepared in Canberra by Keith Dryden, was having his third The Kosciuszko appearance, last year finishing fourth. He was given a beautiful run just off the pace and spied a gap to hit the lead near the 300m mark. But Art Cadeau was not going to lie down.
It was a huge triumph for Shoalhaven Heads conditioner Terry Robinson (a son of legendary late Standardbred and Thoroughbred horseman Kevin Robinson), this year's winner having his first start since winning the Country Championship Final at Randwick on April 10.
By Stockwell Thoroughbreds, Victoria, based US import Artie Schiller (also sire of young sire success Flying Artie), Art Cadeau becomes the first horse to complete the prestigious country double, and took his fabulous record to six wins and six seconds from 12 starts.
Art Cadeau was bred and is raced by Mick and Joy Lill of Berry, who also raced the galloper's dam Jewelled Gate, a Hurricane Sky mare which won five races including the AJC The Nivison-LR.
The best of the four winners produced from Jewelled Gate, Art Cadeau was described by Robinson as "a super-horse".
The Rod Northam, Scone, trained Magic Albert mare Spiranac, finished third from dead-heaters Edit (trained by Cody Morgan at Tamworth) and Irish Songs (trained by Kurt Goldman, Goulburn).
The Everest - the world's richest race on turf now at $15m, was also a close finish which kept the atmosphere and crowd buzzing on excitement - particularly when a late charge from Masked Crusader almost upset the favourite Nature Strip, which won by a neck.
Nature Strip is the best galloper by Widden Stud's Nicconi, and is the only horse available to broodmare owners offering the champion Danzig sireline via his successful sire son Bianconi.
Masked Crusader is the best Australian product by Irish bred shuttler Toronado, a son of Sadler's Wells' High Chaparral.
Joe Pride's star galloper Eduardo (a son of deceased Chilean bred Host, by Hussonet) ran boldly for third ahead of New Zealand bred Lost And Running (by Street Cry shuttler Per Incanto), and last year's winner Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt).
Regional connections were also well represented in the $100,000 country trainers only TAB Highway Handicap when Ten Bells - another by Nicconi, now based at Widden, Victoria, impressively won. Winning four from six starts, Ten Bells is trained at Goulburn by Scott Collings. Kembla Grange conditioner, Kerry Parker also shared honours last Saturday when his wonderful mile to middle distance galloper Think It Over (So You Think) added another win to his record adding the ATC Craven Plate-G3.
Sizzling on
SIDELINED by injury, Secret Blaze returned to stakes winning racing with a brilliant win in the JRA Cup-G3 at Moonee Valley last month.
Secret Blaze flies the flag for Snitzel stallion Sizzling which stands at Riverdene Stud located on the eastern side of Wagga Wagga.
Belonging to the first crop by Sizzling, Secret Blaze - trained by father/son combination Tony and Calvin McEvoy at Ballarat, has won seven races and is also Group 2 placed and is bound to add more stakes to his total of $751,000.
Finishing six in the MRC Neds Coongy Cup-G3 at Caulfield last week, Secret Blaze should continue to prove competitive in races about 2000 metres.