Tim Clark has declared Samadoubt the latest benchmark of weight-for-age racing in Sydney after the bold frontrunner annihilated his Chelmsford Stakes rivals to maintain his unbeaten record this campaign.
Like he did first-up in the Group One Winx Stakes, Samadoubt ($10) found the lead and Clark clicked him up a gear coming to the home corner, the six-year-old dashing clear and finding the line strongly to score by 3-1/4 lengths over even money favourite Avilius.
Girl Tuesday ($5) was another half-head away.
Clark said he was supremely confident Samadoubt would win once he found a comfortable lead.
“Unless Winx returned, nothing was going to run him down,” Clark said.
“He’s flying. He was able to control it a bit better today, just at the mile and drawing out wide I was able to take my time and got into a great rhythm.
“He’s proved the other day was no fluke and now the great mare has gone, somebody has got to put their hand up as the next weight-for-age horse and, at the moment, he’s doing just that.
“There were a few stayers in there but Avilius is no slouch, Girl Tuesday, there was some quality behind him but he just destroyed them.”
Trainer Bjorn Baker was unsure of immediate plans for Samadoubt but said he was likely to keep the horse to 1600 metres for his next start.
He wasn’t surprised by Saturday’s result given how well the horse had been working in between races.
“His work since his first run has been nothing less than sensational and, I say it tongue in cheek, but he’s been working like a Group One horse,” Baker said.
“Going forward, it gives him a lot of options.
“He’s nominated for the Caulfield Cup but not the Cox Plate. I was surprised we didn’t get a call for the Everest after he won first up.”
Kerrin McEvoy was satisfied with the effort of Avilius, who was caught midfield and wide and had a tough task given the windy conditions.
“He worked into it, gave a nice effort but his run just peaked in the last 150 yards after having that run without any cover,” McEvoy said.
Third placegetter Girl Tuesday also did a good job to make late ground while Kathy O’Hara was rapt with the effort of Finche, who was having his first run since finishing fourth in the Melbourne Cup and fought on well for fifth.
“Obviously the further the better for him but he was really reaching late,” O’Hara said.
Con Te Partiro was a late scratching from the race at the barrier after lashing out and taking some skin off her leg.