Movin Out strikes first-up

[Wandering Eyes]

Last season’s Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) placegetter Movin Out (NZ) (Staphanos) made a winning start to her new preparation with an upset victory in the A$160,000 Macquarie St Social Handicap (1300m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Originally trained by Bill Thurlow, Movin Out began her career with three starts in New Zealand for a win and two placings including a third behind Captured By Love and Alabama Lass in the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton.

Subsequently purchased by thoroughbred powerhouse Yulong, the daughter of Staphanos joined Chris Waller’s operation in Sydney, where she ran an eye-catching fourth first-up in the Gr.2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m). She followed that up with a ninth in the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m), a win in the Mornington Guineas (1600m), a fifth in the Gr.1 Australasian Oaks (2000m), a third in the Gr.2 Doomben Roses (2000m) and a fourth in the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m).

Movin Out failed to fire in the spring of her four-year-old season, with the best of her five runs being a sixth in the Gr.2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on November 8. Saturday’s Benchmark 88 handicap was her first raceday appearance since then, and she was back at her very best despite jumping as a $41 outsider.

Ridden by Adam Hyeronimus, Movin Out raced in fifth beside the rail in a strung-out field.

The race tightened up significantly at the top of the straight and Movin Out, who looked like she was about to cruise up on the outside of the two leaders, was checked out of that gap and put back into a pocket.

Hyeronimus had to switch back towards the rail, and then Movin Out had to regather her lost momentum. She hit top gear again and flashed through one off the rail, edging out Gatsby’s (Snitzel), Bunker Hut (NZ) (Savabeel) and Glint of Silver (Rubick) in a four-way finish.

“She ran really well,” Hyeronimus said. “Her trials have been great and she ran up to them today. She’s effective over further too, so she appears set for a really good campaign.”

Movin Out is a daughter of the Stravinsky mare Wahaha (NZ), a half-sister to four-time Group One winner Wall Street (NZ) (Montjeu).

Movin Out was bought out of Anistay Lodge’s Book 2 yearling draft for $24,000 at Karaka 2023. She has now had 15 starts for three wins, three placings and A$354,608 in stakes.

Movin Out’s victory capped a hugely successful Saturday for Waller. The expat Kiwi horseman also saddled Joliestar to win the Gr.2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) and Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun), Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) and Lindermann (Lonhro) for a trifecta in the Gr.2 Apollo Stakes (1400m), while Sixties (Flying Artie) won the Gr.3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.

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