The Saturday Look Ahead by Racing And Sports Ray Thomas

10 Apr 26

By Ray Thomas - International Racing Editor, Racing and Sports, 12:30pm, Friday 10-4-26

She’s bred to be a short-course sprinter, was purchased for bargain basement price, and is one of the main chances in a Group 1 $2 million race over the marathon 3200m at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

PIGGYBACK winning the PARRAMATTA CUP at Rosehill in Australia. Picture: Bradly Photos

Day Two of The Championships has some of the best mares in world racing competing including Autumn Glow, Aeliana and Pride Of Jenni but the relatively unheralded Piggyback can make a name for herself if she can win the Sydney Cup.

Piggyback is proof pedigree isn't everything. She is by the brilliant Trapeze Artist, holder of the Randwick 1300m and 1400m course records, out of a mare by dual Royal Ascot 1000m and 1200m winner Choisir.

But leading syndicator Dean Watt of Dynamic Syndications said he saw something in Piggyback and purchased her for a modest sum of $27,000.

"If you look at her pedigree page you would think there is zero chance of her staying,'' Watt said.

"But if you look at her broodmare sireline, the third dam was by Sadler's Wells, second dam was by Zabeel, and the first dam is by Choisir, a son of Danehill Dancer who can get them to stay.

"Then I looked at the yearling sale photo of the filly and thought she should 'stick' like chewing gum to a blanket.

"Also her dam, Wowee, won over 2500m in the Group 3 SA Classic so that is where the stoutness is coming from.

"Only about 15 percent of horses bred every year are bred to run over more than a mile (1600m) so if you are looking for a stayer you are shopping in a pool with less competition.

"She was as cheap as chips to syndicate, she has won seven of her 22 starts, won over $650,000 prizemoney, and is about to run in her third Group 1 race.''

Watt has been a hugely successful syndicator for 40 years and has raced or syndicated winners of big races like the Cox Plate (Savabeel), Golden Slipper (Polar Success), Blue Diamond (Reward For Effort) and Magic Millions (Bradbury's Luck), but Piggyback is his first Sydney Cup runner.

Trained by Ciaron Maher, Piggyback has won twice at Group 3 level this season in the Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) and Parramatta Cup (1900m) and tuned up for the Sydney Cup with a closing fifth to Aeliana in the Tancred Stakes.

Piggyback is one of only three Australian-bred runners in the Sydney Cup along with the mares Machine Gun Gracie and Litzdeel. The rest of the field is made up of European-bred stayers.

"We are not sure if Piggyback will run 3200m but she has been given a perfect preparation by Ciaron,'' Watt said.

"Her run in the Tancred at weight-for-age was a great Cup trial and her work this week has been very good. We feel she is ready to run a great race."