Cigar Flick finally broke a 13-month drought with a storming victory in the ATC Thank You Trainers Handicap (1100m) at Randwick, providing a fitting end to the Sydney metropolitan racing season. The mare, who had not won since her Eagle Farm success in June last year, relished the strong tempo before unleashing a powerful run down the outside to score impressively.
Trainer Chris Waller acknowledged that Cigar Flick can be difficult to predict but said she is a favourite around the stable. “She is going well but she has reached her level so it’s not easy to win,” Waller said. “She needs everything to flow. She needs to come into the race at the right time, the right track conditions and today it was in her favour. She is a lovely horse. Beautiful. She won’t have too much more racing. Her mum is a sister to Fangirl so she is well bred and she will go to stud this year.”
Waller suggested that Cigar Flick could still capture another win before retiring to the breeding barn. “We will see what else we can find. This type of distance and these type of conditions and she can win another one of them,” he said.
Patiently ridden by Tommy Berry, Cigar Flick ($13) settled at the rear before surging past her rivals to defeat World Alliance ($11) by 1-1/4 lengths, with Bundeena ($8) finishing another half-length away in third.
Reflecting on another successful season, Waller said he is already preparing for the next racing term. “It has been a good season and we’re already warmed up and ready to go for the new season,” he said. “You’ve seen most of the star horses have their first trial. Some are having their second trials on Tuesday and the real big guns are trialling again two weeks after their first trials. We’ve just got to work out where they all head and try to split them up as best we can.”
The race also marked James Cummings’ final Sydney starter as Godolphin’s head trainer, but his runner Tarpaulin, the $3.60 betting favourite, disappointed after leading early and weakening to finish second last. Despite this, Cummings enjoyed success at Kembla Grange with winners Cinsault and Tong Ho, while Kin ran second in the Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield.