Cross Talk impresses at Randwick

[Wandering Eyes]

Cross Talk (NZ) (Keano) capped a successful day for New Zealand-breds in Sydney on Saturday with a commanding performance in the final race on the Randwick card.

The four-year-old’s victory in the A$150,000 Ranvet Handicap (1400m) completed a Kiwi-bred treble for the Randwick meeting, following on from Waihaha Falls (NZ) (Sacred Falls) in the Bowermans Handicap (1200m) and Monfelicity (NZ) (Vadamos) in the Midway Handicap (1600m).

Making only the sixth start of his promising career, Cross Talk was strongly supported in the 10 minutes leading into Saturday’s race and eventually started a warm $2.20 favourite.

Ridden by Tim Clark for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Cross Talk took up a handy position and was poised to pounce when he cruised around the home turn in third place.

Clark went for gold in the straight and Cross Talk produced a sprint that none of his 12 rivals could match, charging ahead to score by three and three-quarter lengths. The front-running Titanium Power (So You Think) held on for second, with former New Zealander Per Inaway (NZ) (Per Incanto) making up late ground to take third.

Cross Talk has now won four of his six starts, placing in both of the other two and earning A$149,570 in stakes.

“Another staying star for Waterhouse/Bott owners,” Waterhouse tweeted.

Cross Talk was bred by Kerry Caldwell, who originally shared in the ownership when the gelding began his racing career in the New Plymouth stable of Debbie Harris. He won a trial at Waverley, then made a big first impression with a four-length romp on debut at his home track in May of last year.

He is now raced by a syndicate made up of more than a dozen owners, including New Zealand’s Alan Galbraith.

Cross Talk began his Australian career last November with a win at Hawkesbury and a placing at Canterbury, then kicked off his current preparation on a winning note at Canterbury on May 25. His first start in Saturday grade came at Randwick on June 11, finishing second behind subsequent black-type performer Jojo Was A Man (Al Maher).

By Keano, who stands at New Plymouth’s Sentry Hill Farms for a service fee of $2,000, Cross Talk is one of two winners from three foals to race out of the unraced Cape Cross mare Mrs Cross.

Earlier on the Randwick card three-year-old filly Monfelicity won her mile contest.

The David Payne-trained daughter of Vadamos was dropping down to 1600m after finishing runner up over 2300m last-start behind Sea Treasures (NZ) (So You Think), who was fifth in Hitotsu’s (Mauric) Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m). 

Jockey Winona Costin was content to bide her time on Monfelicity and made her move on entering the straight, flying home from back in the field to nab Cruel Summer (Choisir) on the line.

Stamping herself as one to watch next season, Monfelicity has been in top form this year, posting two wins and four placings from six starts since January.

Monfelicity was purchased out of Haunui Farm’s 2020 South Island Sale draft, hosted on Gavelhouse Plus, and is out of One Cool Cat mare Aplomb (NZ), a sister to stakes winner Praecido (NZ).

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