The autumn resurgence of Tulloch Lodge has continued with Dawn Passage a dominant winner of the Gr.3 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott partnership had relatively quiet 2019 but the stable has come back with a bang this year, claiming four Group One wins over recent weeks in Sydney.
Dawn Passage did not compete at the highest level during the carnival but made the most of his chances in the Hawkesbury Guineas, run on his preferred dry track.
Ridden by Adam Hyeronimus, Dawn Passage was an $8 chance with $5 favourite Bandersnatch scratched at the barrier.
Under strong riding, Dawn Passage drew away from his opposition to beat St Covet’s Spirit ($11) by 2-3/4 lengths.
“He is an unusual horse and I think it was a mixture today of the dry track, his third run and he was in touch with the speed,” Waterhouse said.
“The moons aligned for him, everything came right on the day. We will go to the Inglis three-year-old Guineas next and then we will look at Brisbane.
“We have had a great carnival and it’s not finished yet.”
Not long after the Guineas, the stable won the Listed VRC St Leger (2800m) at Flemington with Sacramento.
Hyeronimus said things had gone wrong at Dawn Passage’s previous start but fell into place on Saturday once he got into the clear at the top of the straight.
“Trackwork and things have been going well, but too many little things went wrong last start on the soft track,” he said.
“Once I clicked him up before the turn he really picked up the bridle and I felt like the winner from there onwards.”
Meanwhile, Sacred Falls filly Icebath ran home well late to secure third-placing.
It was the second successive stakes-placing for the Brad Widdup-trained three-year-old after her runner-up performance in the Listed South Pacific Classic (1400m) earlier this month.
Bred by Waikato Stud, Icebath was purchased by her trainer as a yearling in Australia for A$100,000. She has won two of her nine starts to date and placed on three occasions.
