Sunrays continues to shine in Queensland
The Kelly Schweida-trained Sunrays (Hellbent) stamped herself as a filly on the rise when adding another stakes victory to her flourishing CV in the Show A Heart Stakes (Listed, 1500m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The daughter of Hellbent (I Am Invincible) began her career perfectly, winning her first three starts around Doomben before her only loss to date – a runner-up finish behind Beadman (Snitzel) after an 11-week break in the Ken Russell Memorial Classic (Gr 3, 1200m) at the Gold Coast last month.
Quick to resume her winning ways, the Peter Moram-bred–and–raced Sunrays achieved her stakes breakthrough on return to Doomben with victory in the Bill Carter Stakes (Listed, 1350m) on May 24, and on Saturday doubled down at Listed level while extending her record to five wins from six outings.
The filly, who was sent off the $3.30 market leader, came wide around the home bend in pursuit of Jenni Gone Bonkers (Maurice) and responded well to the urgings of Tommy Berry, eventually getting the better of that filly to win by 0.9 lengths.
There was another 0.4 lengths back to the challenging Navy Pilot (I Am Invincible) – a brother to recent $2.8 million Chairman’s Sale purchase Tiz Invincible – back in third.
“Great to see her win. I don’t think I’ve seen a jockey more confident than Tommy, as he was pretty adamant, she’d be hard to beat,” Schweida said.
“She’s just so, so tough. We elected not to go to the Group 1 next week [J.J. Atkins], because she’s done all this really off her first prep. She had two weeks [between runs], a little freshen-up, but done a super job.
“It was good to get another win for the Moran family. It was great.
“She’s got a gorgeous head on her, big head, big ears, good body. Really nice filly going forward.”
Riding the first of what would become two stakes winners on the day, Berry echoed Schweida’s praise.
“I still think the best is yet to come with her next preparation,” the winning rider said.
“You’d love to see her here next week, but whether a week back-up is the right thing to do with her, I probably don’t think so. But she’s a lovely filly going forward.
“Very exciting to see what she can do over the spring and looking forward to them bringing her to Sydney.”
Sunrays (2 f Hellbent – Hiccups by Fastnet Rock) is the first foal to race out of the unraced Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare Hiccups, herself a granddaughter of Peter Moran’s multiple Group 2 winner and Group 1 placegetter Staging (Success Express).
Staging is also the dam of Group 1 winners Excites (Danewin) and Duporth (Red Ransom) as well as the Group 2-winning, Group 1-placed Tickets (Redoute’s Choice).
Hiccups produced a Written By (Written Tycoon) colt last spring and looks to be in foal to King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice).
Yarraman Park’s Hellbent will stand for $38,500 (inc GST) in the spring.