Jedibeel finds gap to motor home in Razor Sharp Handicap at Randwick

Jedibeel avoided being the hardluck story of the day at Randwick with a heartstopping win in the Razor Sharp Handicap.

Jedibeel bursts through a small gap to win the Razor Sharp Handicap at Randwick on Saturday. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Trainer Brad Widdup was reluctant to reveal what was going through his head shortly before jockey Tyler Schiller helped Jedibeel pull off a miraculous win at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Jedibeel looked destined to be one of the day’s hardluck stories in the Listed Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m) when Schiller was caught in traffic with nowhere to go.

But the star rider got the breaks when it mattered to help propel Jedibeel home.

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Jedibeel ($4.60) burst through the smallest of gaps near the inside rail inside the final 100m and showed a devastating late dash to arrive in the nick of time.

“It was a hard watch until the last couple of strides,” Widdup said.

“It’s full credit to Tyler. He knows him and it was a great to see the horse get rewarded.

“The horse has a great record, you have to forget that and it was a hard watch and today it was a hard watch for most of it but the last bit.”

Schiller and Jedibeel are a formidable partnership having linked up for four previous victories before Saturday and the hoop’s knowledge of Widdup’s galloper proved key to their latest win.

Jedibeel takes the Listed Razor Sharp Handicap in thrilling fashion!@BWiddupRacing | @G1TySchil | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/q1GzZYGqfs

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 14, 2024

Jedibeel demonstrates a sharp dash when presented at the right time and Schiller was able to ensure the son of Savabeel could show it, albeit with a few nervous moments.

The five-year-old ran over the top of the James Cummings-trained Pereille ($8) to prevail by a head while Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou’s Eagle Nest ($16) was a half-neck back in third.

“I knew he wouldn’t be strong at the 1200m and he has never won at Randwick so I was pretty patient and didn’t want to expose him too early or do anything brash on him,” Schiller said.

“He has a great turn of foot and I thought I put him into a dead end there at one point but I was grateful I was on a very good horse.

“He is probably better off ridden like that but maybe not that close.”

Jedibeel only beat one runner home in his first crack in stakes grade last start when he finished eighth in the Starlight Stakes but Widdup never lost confidence that he had a black type galloper on his hands.

“I think he is a black type horse every day of the week and he has proven that today. It was great to see,” Widdup said.

Originally published as Jedibeel finds gap to motor home in Razor Sharp Handicap at Randwick