Sunlight brings her A game to The Valley

[Chief Stipe]

Sunlight has erased the memories of her previous visit to The Valley with a breath-taking victory in the Gr. 1 William Reid Stakes.

The only time Sunlight has finished out of the placings was in the Manikato Stakes at The Valley last October when she was slow into stride. Last night there was no such problem and Luke Currie let the filly slide forward and take the lead with 800metres to run.

That allowed Currie to give Sunlight a breather before releasing the brakes turning for home, when she raced clear to beat the Sydney visitor Spright by three-quarters of a length, with Ellicazoom in third place.

The victory was her third at the highest level, coming on top of wins in the Coolmore Stud Stakes and Newmarket up the straight at Flemington.

“I’m in awe of her, what a star,” trainer Tony McEvoy told broadcaster racing.com. “She rises to the occasion all the time. She loves the pressure of these elite races and I’m so proud of her.

“It stands the hair up on the back of my neck when you think of the level that she’s up with now and the great horses of the past.

“These are big-time races and there’s so much more to come with her. She could be one of the best of the best.”

Currie was also full of praise for the filly and what she has achieved. Besides her three Group One victories, Sunlight won the Magic Millions 2YO Classic before finishing third in last year’s Golden Slipper.

“She must have read the paper and known she’d drawn the outside,” Currie said. “She flew the gates as quick tonight as ever I’ve ridden her.”

Weather permitting, Sunlight will head to Sydney for the Gr. 1 TJ Smith at Randwick on the opening day of The Championships.

Jockey Ben Melham was transported to hospital with a suspected broken wrist after being dislodged from Voodoo Lad in the straight.

 

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