Sebring Shows Golden Sparkle
Story By Chris Scholtz
Saturday, 16 February 2008:  | | Gai Waterhouse |
“He's very exciting – I'll tell you now he will be fighting out the finish of the Golden Slipper,” Waterhouse declared after Sebring overcame a poor start to win the Canonbury Stakes in a breeze.
Jockey Blake Shinn agreed with Waterhouse that Sebring was a top class prospect but hesitated to rate him above stablemate Montana Flyer, the filly he rode to an easy debut win at Rosehill last week.
Sebring had won his debut at Rosehill last month and again proved in a class of his own despite showing his worrying tendency to miss the start.
Despite his slow getaway Shinn rode Sebring confidently, allowing the More Than Ready colt to circle the small field five wide and race clear at the 500m, leaving the $2 million colt El Cairo struggling in his wake.
Sebring sprinted away to win eased down by four and a half lengths from the strong finishing debutant Ming Hoi Treasure with El Cairo battling into third place, two lengths away.
Sebring's win gave Waterhouse a boost after another of her top juvenile She's Meaner had to be scratched from today's Widden Stakes at Randwick after bruising a heel during light exercise on Saturday morning.
Waterhouse was clearly excited by Sebring's performance and predicted he will get better with more racing.
“He's gone ahead in leaps and bounds, he's developing mentally and physically and can only get better,” she said.
Shinn said he was never worried despite Sebring's slow start.
“Once I let him slide he got around them easily and gave me a good kick,” Shinn said.
“That's what you want to see in a Golden Slipper horse.”
The quality of Sebring's win was underlined by the fillies in the Widden Stakes, won by the Graeme Rogerson-trained Delta Girl from early season winner Stripper.
Sebring dashed over the 1000m in the Canonbury Stakes in 58.15 seconds on a dead track, slicing home his last 600m in 34.7 seconds under no pressure.
Angel Girl was ridden out in a slogging finish to win the Widden Stakes in a slower 58.67 with a slow final 600m in 35.55.
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