Pushy (Time Test-Angel Child by Anabaa) may have lost his unbeaten record but the exciting Time Test 3YO managed the next best thing, running a close second in a quickly run Listed 1600m Dulcify Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
Stepping to city class and stakes company in one go, there was plenty of betting confidence that the Michael Freedman trained gelding would be very competitive against a strong field of Sydney’s progressive middle distance 3YO’s despite the gate 15 draw.
And that confidence was well justified as the Stephanie Hole bred gelding dragged the field up to a trio of runaway leaders before keeping up a strong staying performance that saw him just fail to pick up the winner, the Maurice colt Ganbare.
Pushy is Time Test’s third Australian stakes performer in 2023.
Meanwhile domestically the best result came at the Hastings Premier meeting courtesy of one of the most improved horses in commission, the Mark Oulaghan trained Semper Magico (Per Incanto-Semper Fidelis by Grosvenor). The Per Incanto 8YO, who has won his last three starts and four of his last five, was given a peach of a ride from the apprentice Jessica Allen, running out a comfortable winner of the 2000m open handicap and taking his stake earnings to the cusp of $200k.
