Schweida has no regrets missing Sydney trip with Sunrays

By Glenn Davis

Overtaxing any horse in their first preparation can be fraught with danger.

That’s one reason why trainer Kelly Schweida and owner Peter Moran decided against sending unbeaten filly Sunrays to Sydney for the Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes at Randwick earlier this year. 

Moran was the former principal of Noble Park Stud near Beaudesert which stood top stallions including Mossman and Success Express at the time.

Noble Park has subsequently undergone several name changes over the recent years. 

The Sydney trip came to mind after Sunrays made it three straight wins in the QTIS Jewel Prelude at Doomben in February.

Sunrays would normally have been one of the favourites for the $500,000 QTIS Jewel Final at the Gold Coast in March but she was ineligible, being by interstate sire Hellbent.

“We thought about the Sweet Embrace for her but there wasn’t enough time to send her down and come back for the winter,” Schweida said.

Schweida is now hoping the decision to abandon a Sydney trip will reap dividends at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Sunrays - a Tommy Berry mount - steps out for first time since her QTIS Jewel Prelude victory in the Group 3 Ken Russell Memorial Classic.

“She’s done a terrific job so far to win her three starts and she’s going well,” Schweida said.

“She had a couple of weeks out in the paddock after her last win and she’s had a jump-out to prepare for this.

“Unfortunately, she’s drawn a bad gate (12) which makes it a lot harder.”

Sunrays is a great grand daughter of former top sprinter Staging and was not offered for sale as a yearling by Moran.

Staging also was owned by Moran but did not win at the highest level from 15 starts.

But, she did finish second twice in the then Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes at Eagle Farm in 1997 and second in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 in 1998.

Staging later went on to be a star in the broodmare barn producing Group 1 BTC Cup winners Duporth and Excites who was the first winner at the highest level for champion Hong Kong jockey Zac Purton.

Another of Staging’s progeny Tickets was placed twice at Group 1 level in the Sires’ Produce and Champagne Stakes at Randwick in 2009.