General News
20 January, 2020
Street Sheik prevails in Camperdown Cup
A PLUM RIDE from jockey Brad Rawiller saw the Patrick Payne-trained Street Sheik win the 152nd Sungold Milk Camperdown Cup in stunning fashion at Terang on Saturday.
A PLUM RIDE from jockey Brad Rawiller saw the Patrick Payne-trained Street Sheik win the 152nd Sungold Milk Camperdown Cup in stunning fashion at Terang on Saturday.
The Camperdown Turf Club’s annual race meeting was sensationally transferred to Terang just hours before the first race after stewards found wet sections on Camperdown’s track during an inspection on Friday evening.
However, the move failed to deter punters, who attended in their droves to see Street Sheik and Rawiller comfortably win the day’s feature event.
The pair were sent out as the bookies’ elect for the event and they delivered with ease, kicking clear in the final furlong to win by 3.25 lengths from Under Oath and Royal Performance.
Rawiller was thrilled with the victory and post race he recognised the role the Camperdown Turf Club has played in his decorated career as a jockey.
“Obviously I’ve ridden a lot of winners at Camperdown, it’s a shame it was moved to Terang with the circumstances of the weather but it’s been synonymous in my racing since I started as an apprentice,” he said.
“So to be here 25 years later I’m happy to be riding a cup winner again.”
Rawiller felt the race unfolded perfectly for his horse, with the pair finding a midfield position after the barriers opened as Life of Waldo and Rondalago set the early pace.
The winning combination sat three wide with cover until the 600 metre mark, with Rawiller asking the horse to present itself as they headed towards the home turn.
Shortly after straightening, Rawiller found room on the outside and waited patiently until the 250 metre mark to unleash the horse’s winning assault.
Street Sheik quickened immediately when let go and put a three length gap on her rivals, storming home to comfortably record its fifth career win at its 23rd start.
Rawiller said he was thrilled with the run of Street Sheik, admitting the quality of his horse helped him win the cup.
“Absolutely I was on the best horse in the race but you’ve still got to give them the run,” he said.
“We had a nice economical run, after the first furlong he might have overraced a little bit, but once he got his rhythm it was just a matter of holding things together and he went when I let him go.”
The win capped off an up and down day for Rawiller, who finished with a fourth, a third, a second and an eighth from his remaining rides.
“To be honest before this race my first two rides were very unlucky and then my horse (Christo Maniac) that ran second had his chance,” he said.
“It’s frustrating when you have top weight of 60 and the other horse that beat us had a couple of kilos less and we got beaten by a short margin so that was probably the difference.
“But it always puts a smile on your face when you win the cup then (after an unlucky day).”
Locally trained horses My Psychiatrist and Rondalago were both part of the field, with the former dead heating for eighth for Clint Marshall while the latter finished at the tail of the field.
