Sky Punch (NZ) (Alamosa) upstaged odds-on favourite Dalasan (Dalakhani) at Morphettville Parks on Saturday to take out the feature event.
Sky Punch scores an upset win in the Listed Leon McDonald Stakes (1400m) at Morphettville. Photo: AtkinsPhotography.com.au
The Listed Leon Macdonald Stakes (1400m), formerly known as the Penny Edition Stakes, saw Dalasan sent out $1.40 favourite for Leon Macdonald and his training partner Andrew Gluyas. However, the four-year-old Dalakhani entire settled in the second half of the field under Jason Holder and struggled to settle into a rhythm in the slowly run race.
Sky Punch, ridden by apprentice Jessica Eaton, dictated the pace of the race and the Michael Hickmott-trained six-year-old found plenty under pressure to score by three-quarters of a length.
Morvada (Mossman) raced outside Sky Punch close to the lead and stayed on for second as Dalasan picked up late ground without ever looking a winning threat.
“I said to her (Jessica Eaton) ‘We’re just going to go to the front on this horse’, his work on Tuesday was just unbelievable,” Hickmott said.
“A few things have gone wrong with this horse along the way, I’ve had so many setbacks with him and the owners are fantastic.
“I’m just so happy to win this race with Jess (Eaton) and to win the race named after Mr Macdonald as well, who has been an idol of mind my whole life going back to Umrum days and Gold Guru and horses like that.”
Sky Punch, who contested the Leon Macdonald Stakes first-up and with a domestic handicap rating of 72, has raced 23 times for five wins and four placings.
Sky Punch was sold as a yearling from the New Zealand Bloodstock draft of Wellfield Lodge. He returned to the auction ring as a Ready To Run 2YO for the Manawatu vendors and purchased by Michael Freedman Racing for $170,000.
The son of Alamosa was then sold online in August 2019.
Hickmott is having a strong run of late with New Zealand-bred horses including a winning double at Murray Bridge during the week.
