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Better Than Ready Back On Top

Mark Smith - Sunday Mar 17

For those that thought Better Than Ready was an early season wonder who would quietly fade from the scene, well think again after the son of More Than Ready wrestled the lead back off Brazen Beau for first-season sire honours after The Odyssey ploughed through the mud in Saturday's $500,000 2YO Jewel at the Gold Coast.

Better Than Ready is not only leading the financial division but with 13 individual winners he is spacing his first-season rivals and he is equal to none other than I Am Invincible for the number of two-year-old winners.

The Kelly Schweida-trained The Odyssey has been a shining light for the Lyndhurst Stud Farm stallion. He has won four of his seven starts, including the Listed BRC Phelan Ready Stakes, and been minor placed twice with his only failure coming in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January.

With earnings of $557,550, he is making a mockery of the $30,000 shelled out by his trainer at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale when offered by Millbrook.

Schweida also trained Better Than Ready so it is doubly satisfying for the Eagle Farm-based trainer.

"Better Than Ready was a favourite of mine and be able to help his stud career is obviously great," he told AAP.

On a miserable day at the Gold Coast, James Orman made every post a winner on the Odyssey to defeat fast finishing Nicconi filly Miss Cavallo by a length with another son of Better Than Ready, Ready To Roam a half-neck back in third.

It was good fortune for connections as Schweida had put The Odyssey in a paddock after the 2yo Classic.

"He was doing well and I believe the track was too hard for him in the Millions," Schweida told AAP.

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"This race was worth more than a Group One and restricted to QTIS horses so provided he was well I thought why not have a go.

"He was able to win his lead-up two weeks ago to get ready for today. Things have gone pretty well to plan for him since he came back.

"Even the float trip down from Brisbane today was good.

"My wife Vera owns a share in him and it will be a bit of a party tonight."

The Odyssey (pictured as a yearling ) is the third live foal and first winner for the Snitzel mare Jessica's Hope who died in January 2018.

Her final foal is a colt by Epaulette was consigned by Millbrook to the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where he made $60,000 to the bid of Beamish Bloodstock.


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