Rejuvenated stayer Permit will have the opportunity to continue his winning streak in the Listed Australia Day Cup (2400m) after recording his second straight victory in the Listed Tattersalls Club Cup (2400m) at Royal Randwick yesterday.
Permit made it two wins in a row by taking out the Tattersalls Club Cup at Royal Randwick on New Year's Day. Photo by: Steve Hart
Permit performed strongly during the 2012 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, winning the Listed Manion Cup (2400m) and Group 2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m), but went amiss after failing to finish in the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m).
The imported stayer went winless for 17 starts and it looked as though his best racing days were behind him when he finished at the tail of the field in the Filante Handicap (1500m) but he performed well in the Wingham Handicap (1900m) before finally returning to the winners stall with a tough victory in the Listed Christmas Cup (2400m) at the Randwick Kensington track on December 14.
Despite his Christmas Cup victory, Permit went into the Tattersalls Club Cup on the third line of betting but cemented his return to form with a narrow victory over clear favourite Travolta and Joe Pride-trained Destiny’s Kiss.
Trainer Chris Waller, who has always maintained his faith in Permit, has been delighted with the Dansili geldings form resurgence and confirmed that the import is likely to continue his campaign in the Australia Day Cup at the end of January.
“He is a horse who is very special to the stable,” Waller told AAP after the race.
“He’s only got one speed but luckily it’s a high-cruising speed and he maintains it.
“When he came to us he won a lot of races but then after the Sydney Cup it didn’t happen.
“We’ve persevered and the owners have been very patient and this is the reward.
“We’ll take things one race at a time but the Australia Day Cup over the 2400 (metres) again looks like a good race for him.”
Jockey Blake Shinn has previously ridden Permit when he failed to fire in the Listed W J McKell Cup (2400m) and Filante Handicap and said after the race that he felt like he was riding a different horse at Randwick yesterday.
“I can’t take my hat off to the stable enough,” Shinn said.
“Last preparation I rode him and he was struggling, I thought he was probably headed for retirement, but today he felt sensational.”
Waller is chasing his second win in the Australia Day Cup after taking out the 2012 edition of the race with Wazn.
