Skyman goes back-to-back in Victoria

Skyman goes back-to-back in Victoria

Go Racing’s progressive stayer Skyman backed up his impressive winning debut in Australia two weeks ago with another win on Saturday at Flemington.
 
This time the son of Mukhadram stepped up from the mile to 2000m and while still in Benchmark 78 company his new rating of 74 meant he carried two additional kilograms to win the $A135,000 Furphy Larger Trophy.
 
Skyman was again ridden by Damien Thornton who settled the five-year-old towards the back of the field following a check before peeling out at the 600m mark and balancing him up to unleash his smart turn of foot over the final 300m to win by 0.2 lengths.
 
“He’s a really progressive horse and I’m really looking forward to seeing what height he can get to,” Thornton said.
 
“He felt just as good today [as his last win]. I do think he has improved from that run and the 2000m probably suited him just as good too.
 
Thornton added that he thought the European Import had an exciting future in Australia.
 
“I’d probably be a little bit reluctant to go over further just yet because he’s got such a nice turn of foot and I got to the front too soon again as it was, so he’s a nice horse,” he said.
 
“He can definitely progress through the grades to that lower Listed – Group Three level at the moment, but he’s got to keep improving to get to that and I wouldn’t put a cap on where he could get to.”
 
Trainer Chris Waller said he would keep his options open regarding Skyman’s next race with no suitable benchmark 85 or similar races scheduled in Victoria over the next couple of weeks and an inability to travel him to Sydney due to Covid19 restrictions.
 
“The disappointing part about today’s win is the fact that there are no suitable races for him coming up, and we may be forced to race against open class horses in two weeks’ time, he said.
 
“It is a sudden rise and wouldn’t see him fairly treated at the weights.
 
“I am still deciding whether he goes to Moonee Valley in two weeks and runs over 2000m, or we buy some time and look for other options.”
 
Bred by Elkington Stud’s Jane Keir, Skyman was a 90,000gns yearling who won one and placed in three of six races in England before being purchased by Go Racing Racing Manager Matt Allnutt for 42,000gns out of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale in October last year.

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