Winning Ticket for Waller

Premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller warmed up for The Championships with an eye-catching winner by Blackfriars at Hawkesbury on Thursday.

Winning Ticket (4g Blackfriars – Belle De Plume by Military Plume) was still six lengths off the lead in the Camp Quality Hcp (2000m) but, under a well-timed ride by Hugh Bowman, he flashed home to nail long-shot Deshaa who looked home at the furlong.

A homebred for Perth based Belhus Racing, the up-and-coming stayer was racing past a mile for the first time at just his fifth start and had to shoulder 59kg on a Heavy 9.  “To win with quite a hefty weight on a rain affected track was some effort,” Belhus manager Peter Morley said.  “He will now go to town for a race over 1900 metres at Canterbury on April 23.

“It’s not often that you see a Blackfriars racing in the Eastern States and we think this one goes pretty good.”

The last Blackfriars to make an impact away from WA was Eclair Surprise.  He was a Listed winner of the UCI Stakes and Diamond Jubilee Plate at Flemington and also landed a Group 3 in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.

Trainer Phillip Stokes was setting Eclair Surprise for last yer’s G1 Singapore Cup before going amiss.

Winning Ticket failed to make a $50,000 reserve at the 2011 Perth Magic Millions.  His dam Belle De Plume won races in the Belhus colours at Belmont, Bunbury and Pinjarra.  Second-dam Forbidden Pleasure (Bellissimo) is a half-sister to the dam of G1 Stradbroke Hcp winner Adam.

Blackfriars (Danehill) has won the last three Sunspeed titles from his base at Scenic Lodge and is poised to break through $3 million in earnings this season.

His feature race hopefuls at Ascot this Saturday include Black Heart Bart, Low Tide & Savanarola (G2 WATC Derby) and Kamballie & Prentice (G3 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes).