Breakthrough Randwick Stakes win for Roheryn

Roheryn made a substantial jump in class as he held off a classy field of big-race aspirants to win Saturday’s G3 Show County Quality at Randwick.

For Roheryn the win, his sixth overall and his first at Stakes level was achieved thanks to honesty that matches his ability, the flexibility of his training team and an accomplished ride by Jason Collett.

"Having thought about trying to make more of a miler out of him than a sprinter-miler, I think we've unlocked the key to him and it's proving very beneficial," trainer James Cummings said.

"He's a bit of an underrated horse. He was in a good race today and had to make a big leap and he did that."

With race fitness on his side, Roheryn beat the G1 winner Probabeel by a neck with Special Reward a further half-head away in third place.

Also in the pack behind him were Funstar, another G1 winner with lofty spring ambitions, and the top-level winners The Bostonian, Conte Partiro and Melody Belle.

Roheryn had appeared to be under pressure turning for home with Collett pushing the gelding hard to make ground.

But soon after straightening, he picked up the bit and set off after the leaders, gaining the front at the 200m and then holding off Probabeel to win narrowly but convincingly.

“He hit a big flat spot, but when he hits top gear he has a lovely, flid action,” Cummings said.

The victory made it three Stakes wins in the past two weekends for the Australian team and accompanied another outstanding effort by the filly Tailleur who took her record to four wins from her only five starts in the Dr Sheahan Plate at Moonee Valley.

Tailleur romped to a six-length win over Lady Loft that suggested she would be a force at Stakes level during the spring. The victory maintained the good form of Godolphin’s Melbourne stable which has had 10 starters in Melbourne in the first three weeks of the new season for five winners.