Trainer Stuart Webb will now set his sights on the Sydney Cup with Annus Mirabilis after the six year old proved to be the superior stayer in taking out the 2017 Group 2 $400,000 Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville today.
Jockey Regan Bayliss followed up his win on Redkirk Warrier in the Newmarket Handicap, above, with a win in the Adelaide Cup on Annus Mirabilis at Morphettvile. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The winning ride by Regan Bayliss capped off an unforgettable weekend for the young jockey who two days earlier was able to capture the Group 1 $1.25m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on the Lindsay Park trained Redkirk Warrior.
Annus Mirabilis has temporarily put on hold a career over the jumps and will now head to Sydney to run in the Group 1 $2m Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick on April 8, day two of ‘The Championships’.
“We actually brought him for a jumps preparation and this is where we have ended up,’ Webb said.
“He is still in the Sydney Cup and he is a horse that will stay all day if it is wet track in Sydney he might go there.”
“I would say a Sydney Cup would be very nice.”
Annus Mirabilis was sent out as one of the top fancies for the Adelaide Cup at $9 and a prefect ride from Bayliss had the Irish import settled just behind the leading divisions.
Bayliss was able to angle into the clear approaching the home turn and had an uninterrupted run down the long Morphettville straight to record a one and a quarter lengths win over one of the outsiders in the field, $51 chance Double Bluff, with the $3.40 favourite Master Of Arts running his usual honest race to fill third spot, a further one and half lengths away.
Bayliss said that he had no worries about Annus Mirabilis running out a strong 3200m after he rode him to victory over 2800m in the Listed $150,000 Bagot Handicap (2800m) at Flemington on January 1 three runs back prior to today’s win.
“He is a superior stayer this horse. He has a great set of lungs on him,” Bayliss said.
“This whole preparation he has really turned his form around. I won the Bagot on him and he was really strong through the line that day and I knew the distance would not be an issue.”
“He was the superior stayer and won like a good horse.”
Damian Lane gave the Darren Weir trained Master Of Arts a great ride, settling just of the pace in fifth and sixth position, steered into open spaces coming to the home turn but found the first two placegetters s too strong at the end of the 3200m of the Adelaide Cup.
