You’d love to own a stable full of horses like Savabeel gelding Mightybeel ($3.90) who has never missed the top five in 13 career starts, and he franked that consistency by saluting in the Listed Christmas Cup over 2400m at Royal Randwick.
The four-year-old was too strong on the line for leader Herman Hesse ($2.30F) by one and a quarter lengths, with Cryptogram ($26) a widening six and a half lengths back in third place.
The win takes the Chris Waller -trained four-year-old’s record to five wins and four seconds and over $270,000 in earnings from just 13 outings, and Waller was complimentary of the steer by champion hoop Hugh Bowman .
“That was a ten out of ten performance from him (Bowman),” Waller said.
“It makes it a bit easier when they ride them like that.”
In blustery conditions Bowman sat four back on the rails and stalked Hush Writer the entire trip, before pinching runs on the inside and setting out after Herman Hesse upon straightening.
Once in the clear Mightybeel put them to the sword and won going away from them on the line.
As to what’s next for the honest conveyance Waller was keen to continue on the same path.
“I haven’t thought too much into where he heads next,” Waller said.
“Today was the first time over 2400m and now that he’s ticked that box we’ll look at something similar no doubt in the next few weeks.”
Despite starting the day rated a Heavy 8, the Randwick surface had been upgraded to a Soft 5 by race four and jockey Bowman was full of praise for the track managers.
“Full credit to the track curators here,” Bowman said.
“For the amount of rain we’ve had, the way the track is racing is a credit to everyone involved and it’s just a privilege to be riding on it.”
Mightybeel gets the better of Herman Hesse in the Christmas Cup!