Pike gets winning tune out of Yggdrasil

[Wandering Eyes]

The Chris Waller-trained Yggdrasil (NZ) (Sacred Falls) proved adept on a particularly heavy track at Rosehill on Saturday to land the Fujitsu General Handicap (2400m) by just over a length from Oceanic Flash (NZ) (Sacred Falls).

It was the first metropolitan victory for the four-year-old mare and her second win overall from 12 starts.

Ridden patiently by William Pike, Yggdrasil relaxed well and travelled like the winner mid-stretch.

“Yggdrasil relishes the wet,’’ stable representative Charlie Duckworth told the Sydney Daily Telegraph.

“She is only lowly rated but we thought with the small field we should have a throw at the stumps.’

“To be fair, Willie (Pike) came in before the race and said he had been watching the replays of the mare’s recent runs and felt they had been chasing the speed too much with her.

“Willie was keen to get the mare to relax and switch off, which she did. The track was never going to be a concern but it was whether she would stay out the 2400m.

“When Hughie (Bowman) took off on Our Candidate mid-race it was a concern because it turned the raced into a real stamina test.

“But she obviously stays a strong 2400m and probably runs two miles (3200m) on today’s effort.’’

Raced by prominent owner Carl Holt, Yggdrasil is named after a song by Swedish band Brothers Of Metal and was purchased for $100,000 as a yearling by Waller and bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster from the draft of breeder Bradbury Park at Karaka 2019.

Yggdrasil is by the late Waikato Stud stallion Sacred Falls and is one of seven winners out of the Cape Cross mare Accidentallyinlove, dam of multiple stakes winner Guns At Five (NZ) (Duelled) and Group Three placed Fantastic Honour (NZ) (Any Suggestion).

The final five races at Rosehill were called off after riders expressed concerns regarding the footing provided to their runners, with stewards agreeing there were some safety concerns in relation to the track surface.

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