Taking his record to four wins and a second from five Caulfield starts, Nick Ryan’s Winnasedge captured Saturday's $200,000 G3 MRC Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m), not only achieving his first stakes victory but becoming the first stakes winner for his multiple G2-winning sire Cliff’s Edge.
With some solid form at three including a third behind eventual G1 winner Reserve Bank in the G2 SAJC Tobin Bronze Stakes, the recent consistent form of the gelding saw him jump away favourite in the 11-horse field.
From a mid-line jump, the Ben, Will and JD Hayes trained Beast Mode went forward, settling off the rail and as the field headed into the home turn, he was racing quite a few lengths off the rail, cornering two lengths clear of Sir Now on his outside while Klabel (NZ) was tracking along closer to his inside.
Just as quickly as Sir Now wrestled the lead from Beast Mode, jockey Luke Currie aboard Winnasedge was working home, reeling in the leader and taking over with 50m to run.
Resuming from a spell, the Craig Williams ridden G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes runner up Bellatrix Star charged down the outside from the tail of the field to go down narrowly, beaten less than a half length margin on the line.
Sir Now held on for third, with the Grahame Begg trained G2 winner Miraval Rose working home very well for fourth, with Watchme Win and previous Sir Monash Stakes winner Recommendation fifth and sixth respectively, all within a length of the winner.
“He’s always been a good little horse,” said Ryan.
“He was placed in the Red Anchor Stakes at three, he ran well in a Tobin Bronze over in Adelaide, so he’s always been up to this level.
“To do it in weight-for-age company is great.
“He’s a good horse and he got the job done.
“It’s great to team up with my good mate Luke Currie. He’s back from America and he executed it perfectly.”
When asked would he now head to the Bletchingly Stakes in two weeks’ time, Ryan saw no reason not to.
“I’d say so, why not? He’s fourth-up today, he’ll be fit, and the 1200 metres will be no issues,” said Ryan.
With three wins from seven starts on the gelding, Currie has built a strong relationship with him.
“Early, I thought he was a really nice horse, but he was doing a few things wrong,” said Currie.
“Ridden off the speed, he shows a really good turn of foot.
“I knew he was the first horse and he’d be strong.”
Raced in partnership by his breeders with a host of other owners, Winnasedge took his overall record to six wins and four placed efforts from 17 starts with earnings of $558,240.
Bred by Mr RA Holburt, Mr B R Holburt, Mr P Graybrook and the Ding Syndicate, Winnasedge is the third winner, and first at stakes level from five to the races out Magnus mare Anuddawinna, herself a half-sister to the stakes placed Imperial Command.
One of 11 individual winners from just 22 runners, Winnasedge will forever hold the honour of becoming the first stakes winner for his sire Cliff’s Edge. A dual G2 and G3 winner on the track before retiring with earnings of $1.1m, the son of Canford Cliffs (IRE) stands at a fee of $6,600 (inc. GST) at Bombora Downs.
