Sing For Peace stuns in steeple romp
Sing For Peace (NZ) (Tavistock) announced himself as steeplechasing’s newest star on Sunday, putting up a dominant performance in the Australian Steeplechase, as Stern Idol faded to finish third.
Already one of the classier hurdlers around, Sing For Peace started a well-backed $2.60 chance in his first go at the fences, but instantly looked at home over the bigger obstacles, guided by Tom Ryan, who picked up his first Australian Steeple win since Megapixel saluted in 2012.
He raced a touch keenly early, but soon settled in the lead, and the champion Stern Idol, weighed down by a mammoth 76kg weight on a Heavy deck, couldn’t go with Sing For Peace in the straight.
Castrofrancaru and Luca Remondet stormed home late into second, but 10 lengths behind the winner, and Tom Ryan said a race morning text from trainer Patrick Payne filled him with confidence.
“Paddy texted me this morning and said, ‘I think he’s fairly on song’,” Ryan said.
“He never blows anything out of proportion, and when he says something like that to you, you start to get very excited.
“He’s met every fence spot on and was brilliant to the line.”
Sing For Peace was sold at Karaka by Woburn Farm at the 2020 Book 1 Sale for $140,000 to John Foote Bloodstock.
