Miller Proves He Is The Ruler
12 May, 2018
Thoroughbred
Simon Miller has once again shown why he is the state’s premier trainer of two-year-olds, with Market Ruler taking out the Passages Youth Engagement Hub Plate (1000m).
It was another masterstroke by the trainer, who elected to put blinkers on the filly after she finished second to Black Sabbath over 1100m last Saturday.
The change worked a trick for the Universal Ruler filly, who recorded a dominant three length win.
Olga Louisa jumped to the front on debut, while Market Ruler settled to her outside.
Jockey William Pike asked the filly for a big effort at the 200m and she responded to the riding, blowing her rivals away.
Another debutant Pablo’s Poem ran home gamely to finish second, while Cryptic Love continued her consistent form back in third.
The win was also special for Market Ruler’s owner David Reed, given his charity Passages sponsored the race.
“It’s a great thrill, I didn’t expect her to win that easy,” he said.
“I bred her, I bred her mother and she looks like she has got somewhere to go.
“At a Passages golf day last year, I sold 30 per cent of this filly for $25,000.
“The money goes to a good cause.”
Market Ruler’s victory made it two wins and a second placing from four career starts, with her only unplaced run coming in the Karrakatta Plate.
Earlier in the day, Miller and Pike teamed up when impressive three-year-old Alpha Sky took out the Neometals Handicap (1400m).
Alpha Sky, having just his third start, had to work hard in the early stages to find the front, but when he got there he was always going to be hard to beat.
The gelding held off Roganella and the in-form In Love With Paris over the concluding stages to win by just over a length.
Tim Walker