TRÊS GROUPOS 1 EM ROSEHILL
Gordon Lord Byron stuns Sydney rivals
BY NICHOLAS GODFREY 6:43AM 29 MAR 2014
Report: Australia, Saturday
Rosehill: George Ryder Stakes (Group 1) 7½f, turf, 3yo+
IRELAND'S Gordon Lord Byron (Tom Hogan/Craig Williams) wasted no time in making his mark at the Sydney autumn carnival when he upstaged some of Australia's best sprinter-milers with a surprise victory in the George Ryder Stakes.
The six-year-old, a Group 1 winner in Europe last year, was sent off an 18-1 shot for Saturday's A$1 million (£555,000) contest, which was largely considered a warm-up for bigger targets at next month's inaugural Championships meeting at Randwick.
However, jockey Craig Williams brought Gordon Lord Byron from mid-division with a strong finishing effort up the rail to grab fellow outsider Speediness inside the final furlong. He scored by a short neck, with New Zealand three-year-old El Roca taking third a further three-quarters of a length away.
Gordon Lord Byron is one of two international horses competing at a revamped Sydney autumn carnival.
"I said jokingly a couple of months ago my plan for him this year was to win a Group 1 in Australia, one in Asia, one in Europe and one in America," trainer Tom Hogan said. "So we've got the first one. He's a proper horse."
Winner of the Sprint Cup at Haydock in September, Gordon Lord Byron is now set to run in either the TJ Smith Stakes or the Doncaster Mile at Randwick next month.
"Craig said to me you can go anyway you like and you'll win either and he should be fairly straight for his next run here in two weeks' time," added Hogan. "That run should put him right - he's won nicely today and hopefully he'll improve a little from the run.
"It will be big news back home in Ireland, we don't like to really blow things up until they happen so now we can really celebrate.
"We've had great help here. The facilities have been wonderful."
Williams was delighted to have picked up a Group 1 victory on the Irish gelding.
"He was great today," said the jockey. "I was really looking forward to him coming to Sydney. They have decisions to make now where to go with him but thanks to Tom Hogan and the owners for giving me the opportunity its a big thrill to win a Group 1 in the autumn in Sydney.
"A special thanks to John Messara and his committee for introducing The Championships which encouraged a horse like Gordon Lord Byron, the trainer and the owners to come out here and I think it has worked out really well. It might just open up the door to the Irish."
As for winning owner Mary Calahan, she is planning to make the most of her time down under. "We have never been to Australia so we decided to come," she said. "Now we will spend the next two weeks travelling up to the Whitsundays!"
Also on Saturday
Rosehill: Rosehill Guineas (Group 1) 1m2f, turf, 3yo
Criterion (David Payne/Hugh Bowman) was a surprise winner of the Rosehill Guineas, in which joint-favourites Dissident and Puccini finished sixth and 12th.
Shamus Award, a shock winner of the Cox Plate last year, was 14th of the 15 runners.
Rosehill: Galaxy Stakes (Group 1 Hcap) 5½f, turf, 2yo+
Joe Pride, who won the Coolmore Classic with Steps In Time last Saturday, captured another Group 1 when he saddled Tiger Tees (Nash Rawiller) to victory in the Galaxy Stakes.
