SEDBURYS GHOST toppled favourites Notorious Gangster and Scorching in the Plate Trial on July 20 at Woodbine and will head to the King’s Plate on August 16 as a legitimate contender.
Yawen Wu’s flashy chestnut gelding by Queen’s Plate winner Shaman Ghost from three-time winner Hurricane Mimi by Sligo Bay (Ire) parked himself mid-pack early in the 1 1/8 mile Trial on a warm and sunny afternoon, with jockey Ryan Munger allowing the leaders to contest an honest pace. That included Scorching, the John Charalambous-trained colt who beat Sedburys Ghost when second in the Marine Stakes (G3) in his first race in more than eight months.
With his smooth stride, Scorching broke sharply in the Trial under American rider John Velazquez and went to the lead, before he was overtaken by longshot Unbridled Weather. Velazquez moved Scorching up again to duel between Unbridled Weather and Vancouver invader Autobahn Ace. The half-mile was in 47.22 and six furlongs in 1:12.10 and Scorching darted clear late on the turn for home.
Sedburys Ghost had started to move three wide between rivals, while Queenston Stakes winner Notorious Gangster was trying to extricate himself from traffic woes. The Josie Carroll trainee was shuffled back nearing the quarter pole and then appeared to bobble when behind horses on the turn. He followed Sedburys Ghost into the stretch, but couldn’t catch that rival, while passing Scorching for second.
The time was 1:50.47, a bit shy of the final time for the Oaks which featured a much faster pace.
This was the biggest win for Wu, who had won a handful of races from small numbers during the last decade and a half. Her husband James Mann bred and raced Hurricane Mimi and she won over $171,000.
“It’s kind of struggling when you have a small amount of mares,” said Wu, who has a farm in Port Perry. “But now, this gives me confidence and I’m thinking I will probably invest more.”
Wu said that she has enjoyed being part of a team with trainer Minshall, where communication is key.
“That’s so important. The credit for this win goes to Barb and my team back at my farm.”
Minshall said she was very confident in Sedburys Ghost’s chances in the Trial. “I thought he had a little bit of a troubled trip in the Marine, I thought he could have won that as much as any of the other horses.”
Sedburys Ghost is the fourth foal of Hurricane Mimi, who is also the dam of winner’s Hurricane Gizmo, Mimi’s Holiday and Miramichi. The mare has a two-year-old full sister to the Trial winner named Hurricane Amelia.
Notorious Gangster did not lose anything as far as Plate ranking in the Trial, as he closed ground strongly after the trouble. Scorching was in the middle of a tough pace duel and did well to hold third.
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