Bennett Racing smart 3yo Stay Focused raced away with an easy win in Saturday’s Listed Nitsche Stks 1400m at Morphettville. The 3yo gelding has become a model of consistency winning his last start at Moonee Valley against older gallopers.
After beating the older horses at Moonee Valley – Stay Focused looked very well placed in 3yo Listed company at Set Weights. Back to 1400m looked to be very suitable for his front running style. Sent out the $2 fav, Stay Focused jumped well and assumed the front spot with ease. Lochie Neindorf had him travelling sweetly and rated him to perfection.
This was a classic front running ride. Lochie got Stay Focused into a rhythm and he just crushed the opposition by getting them off the bit and not wavering in his strength through the line. He sat up the last 100m and ran the last 200m in 12.14s cruising through the line. The main pointer to the quality of this win was that Stay Focused ran a mind boggling last 1200m in 1m08.95s. Stay Focused was also only 0.86s outside the track record which was set in 2015.
This win, after the confidence booster at the Valley, showed the real Group Quality this Gelded son of Cosmic Force possesses. Little freshen now after 5 runs this time in and then a likely shot at some races up North. He looks to be a genuine fast, on speed 1400m horse – so a race like the Fred Best Gr3 over 1400m for 3yo’s in Qld looks a fantastic target. If he happened to win that, he gets ballot free entry to the Stradbroke – Qld’s premier race over 1400m. These are lofty goals but this is a Quality horse who has found his niche and is just improving every time he goes out. Congratulations on this win, back to back and now a well deserved Stakes Winner.
The win took Stay Focused overall record to 11 starts, 3 – 1 – 1 $375,500.
Stay Focused was a 250k purchase from the 2023 MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale from Sledmere Stud. He is from the 1st crop of promising sire Cosmic Force from the Galileo mare Coral Reef. He is a ¾ brother to Gr3 pl Ningaloo Star, a ½ brother to Gr3 pl Miss Moana & Listed pl Hollywood Mo, a ¾ brother to Bennett Racings Beauty Rising and a ½ brother to Bennett Racing’s Apache Star. Bennett Racing also unveiled Stay Focused full brother 2 weeks ago in Stay Cosmic who was terrific winning on debut. Note Stay Cosmic has since placed a very close 2nd at Sandown at his next start.
Congratulations to all owners in Stay Focused and thankyou to Phillip Stokes and his Team for getting the 3yo up and ready to win again.
