Japanese mare Hana’s Goal came from last on the home turn to score a dominant win in the Group 1 $400,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick today.
Hana's Goal storms down the middle of the track to win the All Aged Stakes. Photo by Steve Hart.
Hana’s Goal is the second international horse to win over the Sydney Autumn Carnival following Irish sprinter Gordon Lord Byron taking out the Group 1 $1m George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 29.
Hana’s Goal was having her third run since arriving in Australian for the Autumn Carnival with Nash Rawiller having his first ride on the Kazuhiro Kato trained mare.
Rawiller wasn’t too perturbed when Hana’s Goal ($10) walked out of the barriers again and let the mare settled at the tail of the field before easing over the heels of Weary on the home turn.
Rawiller then gave Hana’s Goal a clear run to the line down the middle of the track to score a very impressive win over Weary ($5.50) and Tiger Tees ($7).
“It was probably the best she jumped today,” Rawiller said.
“I brought her straight back underneath me, I didn’t want her to overdo it early,”
“I was a little concerned that Weary took me a couple of lengths further back than I wanted, it seems to be happening to me a bit lately, but I bit the bullet and stayed on his back and he give me a good enough cart into the race.”
“And I knew her finish would take care of most of these.”
“It was very good win. She has probably adjusted a bit. She ran in two of our hardest races. It is not easy to come here from the other side of the world and run in a Doncaster that’s for sure.”
“Today in a small field she had a few things that suited her and she showed her class and that’s what she has plenty of.”
At her first Australian start Hana’s Goal finished fourteenth, five and three quarter lengths behind Steps In Time in the Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill on March 22 before finishing sixth on the heavy track behind Sacred Falls in the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick two weeks ago.
Japanese trainer Kazuhiro Kato was ecstatic after the win and has done a terrific job with Hana’s Goal who is owned by Australian Michael Tabart who has lived in Japan for the past twenty years.
“Very happy,” Kazuhiro Kato said through an interpreter.
Favourite Rebel Dane ($2.20) made a charge for the front at the 250m but couldn’t sustain the run and faded to end up in fifth spot.
