The Group III ATC San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday featured a strong field of colts looking to stake their claims for spring success with striking Deep Field colt Sweet Ride delivering a knockout blow for the Annabel Neasham stable.
Ridden by Chad Schofield, Sweet Ride turned back all challengers to defeat previously unbeaten I Am Invincible colt Nettuno by a length and a half taking his overall record to three wins and a second from eight starts with prizemoney topping $300,000.
The San Domenico was his first stakes win, but unlikely to be his last with further Black Type races now on his radar.
“First-up this preparation, he was disappointing, but he has got better and better each time, and we haven’t missed him at home,” Neasham said.
“We’ve put a lot of work into him. We have kept him fit because he can be a bit fresh at home. He was the fittest horse here today.”
“A big ‘well done’ to (owner/breeder) Bert Vieira. He’s such a great supporter of the game, and to win a very good race like this with a colt is very exciting for him going forward.”
The Group II Run To The Rose (1200m) in two weeks is the immediate target for Sweet Ride.
“He hasn’t run over 1200 for a while. He ran in the Slipper, but deserves a go in two weeks. Maybe even something like a Coolmore (Stud Stakes) further down the track,” Neasham added.
Recorded as a $320,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Widden Stud draft, Sweet Ride runs in the colours of his breeder Bert Vieira. He is the first winner from How Sweet It Is, a four time winner by Foxwedge that was also bred and raced by Vieira and was covered by his former champion Trapeze Artist last spring.
There is some real depth to his female family which has also produced four-time Group I winner Metal Bender, New Zealand Oaks winner Amarelinha and Group winners North Pacific and Missybeel.
Sweet Ride is the 16th stakes-winner for Deep Field, who sired three winners on Sunday including the promising Peter Moody trained gelding Desert Star, a dominant debut winner at Moe.
