Scenic Lodge stallion Universal Ruler started this month where he left off in February when Here For Cheques won the Mrs Mac’s Hcp (1600m) at Ascot on Saturday.
The Bernie Miller-trained sprinter-miler was coming off a last-start loss at Ascot but a seven-day turnaround made all the difference when he was challenged in the straight by Covert Rose (Dissident). “He has ability but was very disappointing last Saturday,” winning jockey Patrick Carbery said. “He came home and was running around like he hadn’t even been to the races.”
Here For Cheques (Photo / Western Racepix) improved his record to 5 wins in 26 starts for prizemoney and Westspeed Bonuses totalling of $268,000. He’s the first foal from Lob City (Vital Equine) who won at Ascot and Belmont for trainer Simon Miller and her most recent is a colt foaled in October by Ducimus.
Universal Ruler (Scenic) sired his 200th individual winner on February 6 when Southland scored on debut at Geraldton. The maiden winners continued last month with Dug Another Hole (Bunbury), Ginger Morpheus (Bunbury) and Pacific Jewel (Naracoorte).
Former WA mare Pacific Jewel is owned by Distinct Racing’s Geoff Evans and had been unplaced at her first two starts at Northam and Bunbury earlier this season. She transferred interstate in December and was unlucky first-up for Angaston trainer Aaron Bain but made amends on Naracoorte Cup Day in the Trans Australian Livestock Maiden Plate (1430m).
“At her first start for us, she was carried right off the track turning for home by another runner at Morphettville,” Bain recalled. “I was a bit concerned when she was pocketed coming to the corner today but she has a good turn of foot and Taylor (Johnstone) gave her an 11 out of 10 ride.
“Geoff is a new owner to our stable,” Bain said. “He lives in WA and has eight horses with us at the moment, a lot of them young horses. Any time with a new owner you want a result on the board early. Geoff will be chuffed and hopefully we can build on today’s win.”
Evans is also managing part-owner of Revelare (So You Think) who nailed a picket-fence at Flemington on Saturday. He’s unbeaten in five starts since scoring at Seymour in December and trainer Robert Hickmott will set him for automatic Melbourne Cup qualification in the LR Roy Higgins Quality (2600m) back at Flemington on March 29.
Universal Ruler’s other interstate visitor Aztec Ruler has been narrowly denied twice at Flemington with recent seconds in the G3 Standish Hcp (1200m) and LR Elms Hcp (1400m). He holds a Group 1 nomination for Australia’s premier sprint in the Newmarket Hcp (1200m) this Saturday although a more likely target at Headquarters will be the G3 Shaftesbury Avenue Hcp (1400m).
His trainer Stephen Vahala topped the list of Universal Ruler buyers at the Perth Magic Millions last month with $70,000 for the Scenic Lodge-consigned colt from Blackfriars mare Elegant Blast (Lot 31). It’s the family of Australian Horse of the Year Scenic Blast and G1 Railway Stakes (1600m) winner Gilded Venom.
