Trainer Peter Chow made the long trek from his stable at Warrnambool to Cranbourne to claim the Rosemont Stud Pendant with Paul’s Regret.
Appreciating the drop in grade after running third to Rich Hips in the Group 3 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes, Paul’s Regret appreciated the heavy track conditions over 1400m on Saturday to record her fourth career win from 22 starts.
Ridden by Damien Thornton, Paul’s Regret ($9.50) scored a three-quarter length win from Maybe The Best ($7) with Belle Plaisir ($3.90) the same margin off third.
Following Saturday’s victory, Chow intends to head to the revamped Zipping Classic meeting which is set to be run at Caulfield on November 27 where he has picked out the Group 3 Summoned Stakes (1600m).
Paul’s Regret is a dual city ‘stakes’ placegetter and Chow would like nothing better than to get a ‘black type’ win with the mare.
“The whole family seem to get out over a bit of ground,” Chow said.
“We always have wanted to, and I’ve had it in the back of my mind that we would run in that race.
“I haven’t had a horse run around in ‘black type’ before, besides here, to place or win one.”
Paul’s Regret had raced on a heavy track twice previously for a second placing and Thornton said the track was waterlogged and those that have been successful are the ones that get through the ground.
“She was terrific,” Thornton said.
“She’s tough and Peter said this was the best he’s had her, he thought. I’ve been nagging him for a while to get her to 1400 (metres) and he finally listened.
“I thought I was going to run last at the 500 but to her credit she was tough and kept coming. They got going early and stopped late which allowed me to pick them up.
“She was really good.”