Racing: Longshot's win no surprise to trainer

Bacchanal Woman. Photo / Kenny Rodger

Bacchanal Woman's first-up win at Randwick yesterday may have surprised punters but not her trainer Joe Pride.

The seven-year-old mare was sent out a $20 chance in the Jim Beam Handicap (1200m) but got the better of some up-and-coming sprinters to win by 1 lengths over Thankgodyou'rehere ($2.40 favourite) with Onthelookout ($26) third.

"She was up against a couple of smart sprinters in Griffon and Thankgodyou'rehere but this mare had trialled really well leading into this race," Pride said.

"I don't know how you could have missed her two trials, Corey (Brown) was quite bullish that she'd be hard to beat and so was I.

"She's already a Listed winner and the others haven't got there yet. This mare is pretty smart."

It was announced before the race that Griffon would be ridden off the speed and both he and Thankgodyou'rehere spotted Bacchanal Woman a start entering the straight.

Brown had Bacchanal Woman in the clear from the top of the running and when he asked her to really extend over the final 200m she dashed away for her ninth career win.

Pride pinpointed the Tesio Stakes (1600m) for mares on Cox Plate day at Moonee Valley as Bacchanal Woman's main spring target.

Thankgodyou'rehere was an impressive winner first-up at Rosehill two weeks ago but couldn't produce the same finishing sprint second-up.

- AAP