With placings in the Group III Irwin Stakes and Listed Redelva Stakes, the 5-year-old Press Statement gelding Press Down has his moment in the sun in Saturday’s Listed Sportsbet W H Wylie Hcp (1100m) at Morphettville.
Neil Farley for Peter Hardacre, Press Down settled out of the leader, found the front at the 200m and was strong to the line in defeating Marble Nine (Kobayashi) by a length with Sghirripa (Lonhro) a half-length back in third.
Press Down advances his record to seven wins, four seconds, and four thirds with earnings of $389,025.
It was the first stakes success for Peter Hardacre.
“I have been trying to win a feature at Morphettvile for a while,” Hardacre said.
“We have backed this horse. He was disappointing last start at Flemington. He jumped in the air, twisted sideways and didn’t stretch out. The vet came across a little twinge in the hamstring. He was supposed to run in the Behemeth after a good trial. But his blood wasn’t right.
“He showed today that he was back to his best and was tough to the line.”
While it a stakes breakthrough for the trainer, it was the second black-type for Neil Farley
“He’s very talented, and a big thanks to Peter and the owners,” Farley said.
“There were genuine excuses for Flemington, and today he was back on song.
“He balanced up well, got into a lovely rhythm outside of the leader, dropped his head and relaxed, and once he did that, I was very confident.
Bred and part-owned by Ian Perkins, Press Down is the best of three winners from four to race for the Invincible Spirit (IRE) mare Down The Corridor, the winner of two from eight starts who was also bred and raced by Perkins, as was the granddam Chesterfield, a half-sister the Listed SAJC Tattersalls Cup winner, High Royale, the only other black-type winner on the page.
Down The Corridor has a 2-year-old All Too Hard filly named Tuffen Up in training with Hardacre. After foaling another All Too Hard filly last spring, Down The Corridor was covered by Hanseatic..
Press Down is the seventh stakes-winner for dual Group 1 winner Press Statement, who stands at Novara Park for $6,600.
