The step up to 2000m was all that was needed to see 3yo gelding Matias back in the winner’s enclosure, giving trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou consecutive Snitzel-sired stakes victories at Randwick on Saturday, winning the $250,000 G3 ATC Frank Packer Plate.
Successful in the G3 Grand Prix Stakes (1800m) at Eagle Farm back in December, the 3yo gelding was coming off a narrow last start third in the G3 ATC Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) and with Nash Rawiller in the saddle on Saturday, started the race favourite.
With John Sargent’s Listen Sweetheart, the lone filly in the race, going forward to lead under Dylan Gibbons, the race favourite settled in fifth position on the inside of the second favourite Olympian who was one off the rail.
Ensuring a solid tempo upfront, Listen Sweetheart took the field into the home straight and with the Chris Waller trained Pictor taking over at the 300m mark, Rawiller had worked past runners to pounce down the outside.
Taking the lead at the 100m mark, Matias pulled away for a very nice victory, defeating the Waller trained Providence by three parts of a length with his stablemate Pictor holding on for third.
Trainer Gerald Ryan felt that the Frank Packer Plate was make or break for the gelding to see if he could run out a strong 2000m.
“Today was the deciding point, whether he ticked the 2000m box,” said Ryan. “I know he's by Snitzel but his first three dams either won or ran a place in the Oaks.
“It's always been the aim since he won in December in Queensland to aim him towards the Derby up there. But today, if he ticked the 2000m box, he’d go on towards there or he'd come back to the Guineas in a fortnight.
“I think he’ll go up, he’ll run in the Rough Habit Plate. I know it's a month between runs, I know he's a big, gross horse but you can't overwork him. Then it'll be a fortnight into the Derby.”
“Beautiful ride. Barriers win races for you, and, you know, a beautiful ride. And when I say barriers win races, drawing a good barrier in the Carbine probably cost him the race.
“He met all those Carbine Club horses today 2kg better off because he carried a penalty the other day where they’re all on level weights today.”
“We'll just keep poking along and hope we can go and win a home town Derby for Ron (Wanless, owner).”
Having not ridden the gelding since his first two starts, Nash Rawiller was impressed with the win.
“I don't know what time they ran, I didn't get a chance to see it yet,” said Rawiller. “It was a genuinely run race.”
“My bloke was turned out to perfection. He’s been a horse that's been building to this now for 12 months. You know, I think we just saw the furnished product, the sort of horse we thought he would be from day dot.
“Really happy to get the opportunity to ride him today. For me personally, having a bit to do with him as a young horse, it was good to see him put it together.”
“Like I said, it was a genuinely run, staying-type race and he just thrived on that and he loved it. There'll be days yet, but who knows? There might be a nice handicap for him somewhere down the track.”
The win takes his record to three wins and three placed efforts from nine starts with earnings of $400,475.
Purchased by Curran Bloodstock for $450,000 from the Magic Millions yearling sale when topping Kenmore Lodge’s 2024 draft, the Mr JW Ramsey-bred gelding is the first stakes winner out of the Trusting mare Never Listen, a half-sister to Hussonet’s Listed-winning daughter Rose Of Peace.
With both Never Listen, and her dam Rose O’ War both running second in the G1 VRC Oaks (2500m) of their 3yo season, while third dam Savana City won the G1 AJC Oaks (2400m), it's clear where the TFI and Ron Wanless raced Matias gets his staying ability from.
The current 2yo out of Never Listen is a Snitzel filly named Sing Your Song who produced a pleasing effort in a recent trial for the Waller stable, while the current yearling, a full-brother to Matias was sold for $675,000 at January’s Magic Millions yearling sale to David Ellis CNZM and Te Akau Racing.
The mare foaled a colt by Arrowfield Stud’s triple G1-winning Maurice (Jpn) stallion Hitotsu in the spring before being covered by The Autumn Sun.
Matias is one of 171 stakes winner for Snitzel who is currently sitting leading on the Australian General Sires table with earnings in excess of $20m.
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