Cosmonova bounces back from heavy track defeat to be victorious at Randwick

Disappointed one of his horses missed out on an opportunity in a stakes race, the win of Cosmonova at Randwick was a just result for Joe Pride and Proven Thoroughbreds.

Cosmonova (right) has the measure of Queen Of The Mile at Randwick on Saturday. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Trainer Joe Pride and owners Proven Thoroughbreds got their Royal Randwick winner after all.

Cosmonova appreciated getting back on a dry track and returned to her best to take out the Ranvet Handicap (1200m).

It was a just result for Pride and his owners after their summer sprint find, Accredited, was denied his chance at stakes level when the Listed $200,000 Carrington Stakes was deleted from the Randwick program due to a paucity of runners.

Accredited would have been an odds-on favourite to make it four straight wins in the Carrington and Pride said it was an opportunity lost for his in-form sprinter to break through at stakes level

“It was disappointing but what do we change to make that better. They will probably just change the way the race is structured,’’ Pride said.

“I would have thought – and I admit this is a biased opinion – it is not always about making money for Racing NSW, maybe they could take a loss on that one to repay connections for paying up and being a part of it.

“Owners turn up all the time not to make money so it can’t always be about the bottom line.’’

Cosmonva finds herself back in the winners list after Reece Jones gets his third win on the mare! 👏@PrideRacingpic.twitter.com/YSVjTiClr9

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 25, 2025

Pride said Accredited is likely to go to the Group 3 $250,000 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill next Saturday while the trainer considers his options for the promising Cosmonova.

The trainer has a penchant of getting it right with horses on the back-up and Cosmonova ($8.50) bounced back from an unplaced run on a heavy track at Rosehill last week to beat Queen Of The Mile ($9.50) by a half length with early leader Bonita Queen ($2.90 favourite) holding on for a close third.

“We all think we know plenty about pedigrees but Cosmonova is Magic Time’s sister and doesn’t like it wet, so there you go,’’ Pride said.

“Ian Thorpe’s sister probably can’t swim, either.’’

Pride said Cosmonova had one well during the week and he had no hesitation in running her again once he realised the mare would get the chance to race on a Good 4 track surface.

“You have to know when you do it (back up) and this has been good all week,’’ Pride said.

“A lot of times on those really wet racks they are not able to let go so they don’t really have that tough a run.

“She wasn’t able to utilize her action last Saturday but we brought her back here today and she was very effective.

“I think she enjoys it when ridden quietly and Reece (Jones, jockey) understands this mare.

“She is a very well-bred mare with a good future and is still on the way up so it was an important win for her today.’’

Cosmonova was a different horse on a dry track. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Reece Jones rode Cosmonova at Rosehill and said she was a different mare on the firmer Randwick track.

“Cosmonova is so much better on a dry track,’’ Jones said.

“She jumped out cleanly and although we were three-wide, we had cover and she was going really well.

“The tempo was right, she relaxed nicely, then ‘cuddled’ her into straight but I felt she had the race won a fair way out.

“I think 1200m is her go at the moment because it is just in that swept spot where she can travel and then sprint.’’

Cosmonova is building an impressive race record scoring her fifth win from just 10 starts.

Pride also believes she is best suited at 1200m for the time being but he is considering a Brisbane winter carnival campaign for the promising mare.

“I think maybe Brisbane in the winter is where she might get a stakes win or placing,’’ Pride said.

“She’s a very well-bred mare so if we can get black type that would be great for her when she goes to stud.’’

Nothing to Debate … more wins in store

Political Debate finally ended a losing streak of more than two years after a brilliant frontrunning ride from Tommy Berry at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

The Chris Waller-trained Political Debate had not won since scoring in a stakes race as a two-year-old at Eagle Farm, beating subsequent Group 1 winner Sharp ‘N’ Smart.

But the promise Political Debate demonstrated as a young horse became a distant memory as he lost form and was later gelded.

Waller has persevered with Political Debate, who he described as a “real gentleman and a stable favourite” and connections finally got their reward as the five-year-old scored his second win at his 24th start.

Political Debate wins at $21 fixed odds for @cwallerracing! 💰 pic.twitter.com/smZ5tyO2wR

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 25, 2025

“It’s an advantage to be on pace today but this horse has actually switched on before when ridden on the speed,” Waller said.

“He needed his first run. He was obviously fitter today and he did a good job.

“It’s the right time of the year for him. He will progress through to races like the Parramatta Cup as a fit horse when some of the better carnival horses will still be a little bit soft.”

Political Debate ($20) led throughout to hold off a persistent challenge from Father’s Day ($26) by a long head while the unlucky Miss You Ella ($9) was a half neck away third.

Don Diego De Vega started $2.35 favourite and had every chance before fading out of contention from the top of the straight to finish at the rear of the field.

Berry got the tactics just right.

“Political Debate has always had plenty of ability, we have just struggled to get that out of him at times,” he said.

“But when he is trained by the best, they find ways. Chris said, ‘ride him forward, wake him up, and it proved to be the winning move’.’’

Originally published as Cosmonova bounces back from heavy track defeat to be victorious at Randwick